Trade of commodities that infringe intellectual property rights (IPRs) is of great concern and the European Union is fully committed to the effective enforcement of these rights and the promotion of higher standards of protection at an international level. The majority of counterfeit and other IPR-infringing products available in the EU have been manufactured in a third country. To prevent the importation of these goods, customs play a key role.

It is pointed out that when someone buys counterfeit products, he/she becomes a party to:

• reinforcement of illegal production in suspicious conditions.

• payment of additional taxes

• financial assistance to tax evaders

• reduction of jobs

• destruction of the environment (non-compliance with EU environmental provisions in the production of products that violate intellectual property rights)

• The European Union and Piracy
• Intellectual Property Rights eLearning course

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