EU seized nearly 200 million counterfeit goods, German media: more than 40% came from China

The German Press Agency (DPA) reported that the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) stated in its annual report that more than 196 million counterfeit goods were seized in the EU in 2025, setting a record high, mainly from China. The number of counterfeit goods seized within the EU and at the border increased by more than 67% compared with 2024.

The report shows that the retail value of these seized counterfeit goods is estimated to be more than 6.3 billion euros (NT$229.47 billion), which also hit a new high; in 2024, this number will be less than 3.9 billion euros (NT$142.05 billion).

In 2025, Germany played an important role in the operation to seize counterfeit goods at the border. According to the report, Germany accounted for nearly 22% of the estimated value of counterfeit goods seized at the border, second only to Spain, which accounted for more than half of the total value.

The most frequently seized counterfeit goods include CDs and DVDs, software, toys, as well as labels, tags and stickers. Cigarettes and clothing also ranked high. Among the countries of origin of seized counterfeit goods, China mainly came from China, accounting for more than 40%; followed by Türkiye, accounting for more than 18%.

The data reflect how much counterfeit goods are seized where, but they do not allow direct inferences about how many counterfeit goods are actually sold in each country, nor about the scale of the illegal trade there. The high number of seizures may be due to the fact that the groups manufacturing counterfeit goods are more active, or it may be due to the stricter and more effective inspections by relevant departments.

EUIPO pointed out that the transportation pipelines of counterfeit goods vary and countries have limited inspection capabilities, which makes the fight against counterfeit goods still difficult. Especially with the increasing number of online shopping, goods are often sent via express delivery and postal services, which also poses great challenges to law enforcement agencies. The report therefore believes that new forward-looking measures need to be taken, and all relevant parties must also strengthen cooperation and improve information exchange. The report also stated that the use of modern technologies and tools is crucial to protecting intellectual property rights and maintaining Europe's economic strength.