Significant increase: Record number of counterfeit goods seized in the EU

Customs officials seized a peak of counterfeit products in the EU internal market in 2023. “2023 is a record year for the EU internal market, in which by far the highest values ​​of the past twelve years were achieved,” says a joint report by the European Commission and the EU Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO).

In total, more than 152 million items were seized at the EU’s external borders and in the internal market last year. This corresponds to an increase of 77 percent compared to the previous year (86 million items). The value of the counterfeit products discovered rose by 68 percent to around 3.4 billion euros (2022: 2.0 billion euros).

As in the previous year, counterfeit games were confiscated particularly frequently. According to the report, toys and CDs and DVDs followed in second and third place. Packaging material and labels were also frequently confiscated. This shows that products are increasingly only being labeled within the EU, the authorities reported. This is intended to prevent goods from being noticed as counterfeit at the border.

Most counterfeits confiscated on the domestic market

According to the information, the majority of the goods were not detained at the EU’s external borders last year, but were discovered on the internal market. 138 million items were confiscated within the EU. The authority also attributes the significant increase to online trading. The majority of counterfeits are now sent by post.

At the external borders, however, the number of goods confiscated has fallen, it is said. According to the report, more than half of these products come from China (56 percent), followed by other Asian countries.

The EU Commission warned that counterfeit products could be dangerous for consumers. The products could be harmful or unsafe.