EU authority More Piracy in the pandemic

As of: June 8th, 2021 9:10 a.m.

Counterfeit clothing, electronics, cosmetics: According to the EU, product piracy has increased during the pandemic. Recently, counterfeits have been causing problems, especially in the medical field. From Oliver Neuroth, ARD studio Madrid The pandemic has created a huge new market, says Paul Maier, director of the European Observatory on Intellectual Property Infringements. The market for personal corona protective equipment: masks, rapid tests, disinfectants. “We were in a situation in which the industry was not immediately able to create these products in the volume that was necessary for the market. The counterfeiters are incredibly fast.” Just a few days after the lack of good protective masks became apparent last spring, there were tons of offers from China. However, these products, which at first glance appeared to be suitable, turned out to be unusable shortly afterwards because they did not comply with European guidelines. “These people are not the kind of ‘easy criminals’ who are not very dangerous. They belong to the very worst. That also explains why these people were able to react so quickly and in such an organized manner,” says Maier.

Plagiarism worth 120 billion euros

The most common counterfeits include electronics, clothing, toys and cosmetics. In the past year, plagiarism made up almost seven percent of all imports into the EU; it involves goods worth more than 120 billion euros. A good three quarters of the counterfeits came from China. The pandemic also made it easier for product pirates to use their distribution channels, says Maier from the EU Intellectual Property Office. Online retail has been booming for more than a year, with fewer people shopping in stores. “When you hold a fake in your hand, you usually notice straight away: ‘That can’t be the quality I know!’ You don’t see that on the Internet because the counterfeit sellers use the real photographs, “explains Maier. The original product is shown, but a plagiarism is then sent.

Every third person had doubts about the authenticity of a product

Every third consumer in Europe had, according to one study of the EU Office for Intellectual Property when shopping online, doubts whether it is an original or a fake. One in ten says that they have accidentally bought a plagiarism. The expert of the EU authority recommends consumers to buy online only in “Trusted Shops” if possible. And to check that the website has an “https” address, which is considered more secure than the classic “http” pages. Maier also advises buying drugs only from licensed internet pharmacies and never from other sites. Because the network is full of counterfeit medicines. Ingestion can be dangerous. “There is nothing easier to imitate than a pill. You can squeeze it yourself – what is in it, of course, is important. And no consumer can see that.” Counterfeit drugs either contained no active ingredient at all, an incorrectly dosed or even toxic substance.

“Endless Fight”

Finding out who is responsible for plagiarism is extremely difficult, says the expert. “It’s probably a never-ending fight. But you have to fight it.” The EU wants to take more decisive action against product piracy. A few days ago, the Council of Ministers made the fight against organized crime a priority for the next few years. Above all, it is about Internet crime, which also includes counterfeit products.