Event in São Paulo addresses the fight against the sale of counterfeit goods on the internet

The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), as host of the Observatory on Infringements, organised and led a key discussion on enforcement, on 3 October 2024, in the city of São Paulo, within the hybrid event ‘Sharing best practices with platforms: Selling counterfeit products on the internet’ in the context of the IP Key LA project. EUIPO´s initiative sought to bring together e-commerce platforms, public authorities and business representatives to share best practices in the protection of intellectual property rights (IPR). The growing threat of counterfeit products online affects not only rights holders and platforms, but also consumers and society more generally. This forum served to foster dialogue and devise strategies to strengthen the security of transactions in the digital environment. It was attended by 45 guests in person, and more than 130 online registrants.

The European Commission’s Directorate-General for Trade representative highlighted EU initiatives in the fight against counterfeiting including the Memorandum of Understanding on the sale of counterfeit goods on the Internet was presented as a key tool to monitor and combat this problem. Recent European regulations such as the Digital Services Act (DSA) and the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which promote transparency and security in digital commerce, establishing a robust regulatory framework to protect consumers, were also discussed.

Brazil´s executive secretary of the National Council to Combat Piracy and Intellectual Property Crime (CNCP) explained the measures the country has implemented to combat piracy. Joint initiatives between the CNCP and e-commerce platforms have fostered cooperation agreements on cybersecurity, with the aim of protecting both consumers and the rights of intellectual property owners. These partnerships reflect the Brazilian government’s commitment to face the problem of counterfeiting.

The role of platforms in the fight against the sale of counterfeit goods was a central theme of the event. Representatives from companies such as Mercado Libre, Amazon and OLX presented the tools and strategies they employ to identify counterfeit products and collaborate with authorities. In the same panel, LEGO also participated as an Intellectual Property rights holder that already dialogues and works in cooperation with platforms.

Cooperation with public bodies, including civil police and prosecutors, was also key to maximising the effectiveness of these measures and ensuring a safer digital environment.

This event was aligned with the strategic objectives of the EUIPO. These include building trust and respect for IPR through education and awareness-raising, as well as improving access to the Intellectual Property system. In addition, the event fostered international cooperation, contributing to the goal of creating a truly global IP community that maximises results for users.