European Union (EU) authorities seized more than 196 million counterfeit goods in 2025, a record, valued at €6,3 billion. According to a joint report by the European Commission and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), the number of intercepted items increased by 67% compared to 2024 and exceeded the previous record, registered in 2023, by 29%.

CDs and DVDs accounted for almost 30% of the counterfeit goods seized, including music and film releases, retro games and software. Toys made up almost a fifth of the total, followed by games, including consoles, clothing and cigarettes, including electronic cigarettes and vaping devices.

At the EU's external border, customs authorities intercepted around 42 million items, valued at almost two billion euros, also a record high.

Most customs seizures involved postal and express mail shipments, often associated with e-commerce. The growth in the volume of orders, the fragmentation of supply chains, and the diversity of transportation methods make it difficult to detect counterfeit goods.

Seven countries account for the majority of seizures.

Seven member states – Romania, Bulgaria, Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, France, and Belgium – accounted for 90% of the total number of items seized. In terms of value, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Belgium, Greece, and Poland together represented the same proportion.

Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Turkey remained among the main sources of counterfeit goods. Maritime transport continued to lead in the value of goods seized at the border, but road transport surpassed it, for the first time, in the number of items.

Trademarks were the most frequently infringed intellectual property rights, followed by designs and models. Authorities also identified labels and packaging materials used to falsely suggest that products had been manufactured or assembled in the EU.

Customs reform foresees the use of artificial intelligence.

European customs reform should help address the challenges associated with international trade and e-commerce. Among the measures foreseen are the creation of an EU Customs Authority and a European customs data center, supported by artificial intelligence.

The tool should allow for real-time monitoring of supply chains and faster identification of high-risk shipments. The goal is to strengthen the detection of counterfeit products, protect consumers from potentially dangerous items, and safeguard businesses and innovation.