Over 196 million counterfeit items worth an estimated EUR 6.3 billion were detained in the EU in 2025, according to a joint report published by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union (DG TAXUD).
This is the highest number of detentions ever reported by EU enforcement authorities – 67% higher than in 2024 and 29% above the previous record set in 2023 – with figures covering both the EU external border and the internal market.
By product type, “Recorded CDs/DVDs” (including music and film releases, TV box sets, retro games, and application software) remained the most frequently detained counterfeit goods in 2025, accounting for nearly 30% of all seizures.
Almost one in five items detained were “Toys,” while the high number of intercepted “Labels, tags, and stickers” points to their potential use in assembling and completing counterfeit goods, suggesting that some products may be finished within the EU.
Other frequently detained items were “Games” (including electronic game consoles), “Clothing,” and “Cigarettes” (including e-cigarettes and vaping devices).
Within the internal market, Italy alone accounted for over 70% of all detentions, far ahead of France (6.2%) and the Netherlands (4.8%). By IP right type, trademarks were the most frequently infringed rights among the detained goods (57%), followed by copyright (43%) and designs (7%).
Regarding results at the EU border, Romania accounted for 43% of detained articles, followed by Bulgaria and Italy. In terms of value, Spain represented more than half of the estimated value of counterfeit goods intercepted, followed by Germany.
The record figures for 2025 highlight the scale and complexity of the counterfeiting problem facing enforcement authorities across the EU. The growing volume of goods entering the EU, combined with fragmented supply chains, diverse transport methods, and the expansion of e-commerce, is making counterfeit goods increasingly difficult to identify and intercept.
The EUIPO’s active role in the battle against counterfeiting
The EUIPO contributes to the fight against counterfeiting through its participation in the European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats (EMPACT), leading, co-leading and working alongside national authorities and EU partners in up to 10 different operational actions against IP crime. It also manages the IP Enforcement Portal (IPEP), an EU platform through which rights holders can provide enforcement authorities with information to help identify counterfeit goods.
A recent example of this cooperation is Joint Action Day (JAD) Pirates 4, an operation carried out under EMPACT that resulted in the seizure of more than 1.7 million counterfeit and undeclared items across Europe. As part of the action, the EUIPO provided on-the-ground technical assistance on IP infringement matters and enabled rights holders and enforcement authorities to share relevant information through IPEP.
Cooperation on IP enforcement will also be the focus of the next IPEP Forum, taking place on November 24-25.
You may also like…
Winter IP Conference 2026: 5 November, London UK
After two highly successful and well-regarded annual events, we’re thrilled to announce the Winter Intellectual...
Temu and IACC deepen collaboration through dedicated IP protection program
IACC-Temu Program provides member brands with a dedicated channel to escalate complex IP matters and support proactive...
US court finds trademark infringement but denies brand owner damages
A Louisiana federal court found that a former employee’s use of an educational organization’s logo infringed its...
Contact us to write for out Newsletter
