2019 EUIPO OBSERVATORY REPORT ON THE EU IPR ENFORCEMENT

We would like to inform you that today the EUIPO Observatory has released its “Report on the EU enforcement of intellectual property rights: results at the EU borders and in Member States 2013-2017”. This report brings aims to shed light on enforcement trends within the EU. It is the first joint analysis of two different sources of data, namely, the detentions at EU borders and within national markets reported in the IP Enforcement Portal by the EU Commission (DG TAXUD) and by the national enforcement authorities, respectively. The Report provides insight into the volume, categories and estimated value of the fake items detained in the EU, the connection between Member States and detentions and the nature of the infringed IPR, among other insights. 

Here are some of the relevant findings: 

• The volume of fake items detained in the EU between 2013-2017 was approximately 438 million items. This equates to one fake item detained per EU citizen (aged 15 years and over).
• The estimated value of the items detained amounted to some EUR 12 billion, which is almost as much as the 2018 GDP of an EU Member State such as Malta.
• When it comes to the distribution of the IP rights allegedly infringed by these fake products, trademarks predominate, with trademark infringement accounting for almost 70 % of the total volume, and 54 % of the total estimated value of the detentions at the EU borders and in the national markets.