Is your city ready to become an Authenticity?

Authenticities is an initiative designed to empower authorities at a local level to engage citizens and partner organisations across the EU in the fight against counterfeiting, with a view to creating a European Network of Authenticities.

Counterfeit and pirated goods represent more than EUR 83 billion in lost revenue per year in key sectors of the EU economy as well as 670 000 jobs lost. This problem also costs governments across the EU up to EUR 15 billion in public revenue each year.

Counterfeiting and piracy can also endanger the health and safety of consumers as well as the environment. Moreover, it is not a victimless crime as it supports other criminal activities, including money laundering, fraud, cybercrime, drug and human trafficking.

Any product can be subject to counterfeiting. Fakes target clothes, shoes, medicines and protective equipment, pesticides, food, spare parts, childcare items and toys etc.

Whether it is clothes, perfumes, bags, toys or other fakes, we all need to pay extra attention when buying a product and be aware of any suspicious and sometimes dangerous items that can be bought on the high street or from the marketplace. If it appears too good to be true – it probably is too good to be true!

The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) is behind this initiative, which brings together national and regional intellectual property offices of the EU, municipalities across Europe and local organisations to help combat fake products and piracy. It also aims to increase awareness on intellectual property rights among citizens and businesses and pave the way towards a European network of certified Authenticities, where best practices and ideas can be shared and joint activities are put in motion.

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