Intellectual property - counterfeiting costs EUR 60 billion every year
Counterfeiting causes a loss of EUR 60 billion each year in 13 economic sectors, according to a new research of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO).
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The figures show that the direct annual losses of those sectors correspond to 7.5 % of their sales, as a result of the presence of fake products in the marketplace. The accumulated losses are equivalent to EUR 116 per EU citizen per year. Because legitimate manufacturers produce less than they would have in the absence of counterfeiting, thus employing fewer workers, 434 000 jobs are also directly lost in these sectors.
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The 13 sectors studied are: cosmetics and personal care; clothing, footwear and accessories; sports goods; toys and games; jewellery and watches; handbags and luggage; recorded music; spirits and wine; pharmaceuticals; pesticides; smartphones; batteries and tyres.
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These figures form part of a cycle of research work, carried out by the EUIPO over the last 5 years, and released in one single report for the first time. The Synthesis Report also brings together research on the contribution of intellectual property to the EU economy and the cost of counterfeiting and piracy to international trade. It also synthesises actions being undertaken to combat intellectual property rights infringements by national, regional and international bodies.
The Executive Director of the EUIPO, António Campinos, said: "Over the past 5 years, our reporting and research has given, for the first time, a comprehensive picture of the economic impact of counterfeiting and piracy on the EU economy and job creation, as well as intelligence on how intellectual property rights are infringed. Through our research, we have also shown the positive contribution that intellectual property has on employment and growth. Our work has been carried out so that policymakers and citizens can be in no doubt of the value of intellectual property and the damage that arises from its infringement".
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