Counterfeiting and Piracy: 83 billion EUR and 790.000 jobs lost
With the festive season approaching, millions of shoppers across the EU-28 are buying Christmas presents for family and friends. But are they originals or fakes? Counterfeiting and Piracy causes 83 billion EUR and nearly 800.000 jobs lost – every year. We show you the numbers.
- 7.4 % of sales in nine sectors are lost due to the presence of fakes in the market.
- Clothes, toys, sports goods, jewellery, handbags and music among the sectors affected.
- Government revenue lost as a result of counterfeiting and piracy estimated at EUR 14.3 billion.
With the festive season approaching, millions of shoppers across the EU-28 are buying Christmas presents for family and friends.
But the negative economic effect of counterfeit and pirated goods lasts all year round.
A series of studies carried out by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) through the European Observatory on Infringements of Intellectual Property Rights, estimates that over EUR 48 billion — or 7.4 % of all sales — is lost every year in nine sectors, due to the presence of fake goods in the marketplace.
Every year, an additional EUR 35 billion is also lost across the EU economy due to the indirect effects of counterfeiting and piracy in these sectors, as manufacturers buy fewer goods and services from suppliers, causing knock-on effects in other areas.
The nine affected sectors are:
- cosmetics and personal care
- clothing
- footwear and accessories
- sports goods
- toys and games
- jewellery and watches
- handbags
- recorded music
- spirits and wine
- and pharmaceuticals
Photo:
Chuck Coker / Flickr.com (CC BY-ND 2.0)
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