Travelling With Fake Designer Goods In Europe: What Tourists Need To Know

Travelling successful Europe pinch a counterfeit handbag, watch, aliases brace of trainers tin mean confiscation, fines and ineligible problem – and EU detentions are surging. Read connected to find retired what you request to cognize earlier travelling.

In 2023, authorities detained 152 cardinal clone items worthy €3.4 billion, which was a 77 per cent jump year-on-year, according to nan EUIPO/European Commission’s study published successful November 2024). (European Commission – DG TAXUD)

Counterfeit designer items successful Europe

Most of america person seen nan “looky looky men” lining nan beachfronts and strips offering clone designer bags, trainers, shot kits, and accessories. The prices are decidedly excessively bully to beryllium true. While these counterfeit equipment are often rather easy to spot, location are different retailers including online that waste higher value replica items.

OLAF cracks down connected counterfeit manner smuggling

The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) has been astatine nan centre of 1 of nan biggest caller strikes against counterfeit manner successful Europe. In a large-scale cognition launched successful 2024, OLAF coordinated pinch customs authorities successful respective countries to intercept complete 1.8 cardinal clone designer items, pinch an estimated marketplace worth of much than €180 cardinal (OLAF).

The cognition spanned Austria, Belgium, Germany, Italy and non-EU countries, and revealed really counterfeiters effort to outsmart separator controls. Smugglers concealed clone luxury garments, shoes and accessories down layers of morganatic textiles wrong shipping containers. At nan Port of Trieste alone, Italian customs and Guardia di Finanza seized astir 1 cardinal counterfeit products that had originated from Ambarli Port successful Türkiye and were headed for nan Netherlands.

Brussels has urged tough, tech-driven enforcement via a caller “toolbox against counterfeiting.” The Commission says this will fortify practice among platforms, brands and enforcers and accommodate IP practices to AI and virtual worlds. As Margrethe Vestager puts it, “The conflict against counterfeiting is simply a important constituent successful safeguarding our innovative landscape.” (European Commission property release)
Thierry Breton adds, “Effective devices against counterfeiting are basal for nan protection of intelligence property, user information and innovation.”

EU countries and their rules connected counterfeit equipment

Key reminder: “There are nary communal rules for nan acquisition and usage of counterfeit equipment successful nan EU.” (Consumer Europe Denmark)

Italy

Italy treats counterfeiting not conscionable arsenic a nuisance but arsenic “an economical crime which causes superior harm to [the] world economy” and a nonstop threat to some jobs and nationalist safety, according to nan Italian Customs and Monopolies Agency (ADM).

Enforcement successful Italy is besides shaped by EU Regulation No. 608/2013, which sets nan rules for customs action against counterfeit goods. As ADM explains, nan regularisation expanded customs protection to caller rights, introduced a “specific process for mini consignments”, and established COPIS, nan EU’s cardinal database. This model allows Italian customs officers to prehend equipment successful transit, coordinate pinch different EU states, and destruct counterfeit products earlier they scope consumers.

For travellers, Italian authorities tin besides enactment astatine airports and ports if you are carrying counterfeit equipment successful your luggage. While EU rule (Regulation No. 608/2013) mostly exempts “goods contained successful travellers’ individual luggage provided that they are of a non-commercial nature”, nan ADM notes that customs officers still person powers to intervene wherever location is suspicion of resale aliases if nan clone items airs information risks.

France

French customs dainty counterfeiting arsenic a awesome economical and user threat, informing that clone equipment tin beryllium dangerous. In 2022, customs officers “intercepted 11.53 cardinal items… an summation of +27% compared to 2021. The results person much than doubled successful 2 years.” (douane.gouv.fr)

Travellers should cognize that controls screen each constituent of entry. Customs states it operates connected “import, export, circulation, detention, and besides aft customs clearance, a posteriori,” pinch brigades empowered to extremity group and cheque luggage. That intends visitors carrying a counterfeit handbag aliases watch consequence contiguous seizure and imaginable sanctions nether nan nationalist customs code.

France has besides stepped up successful action against online counterfeiting, pinch its dedicated Cyberdouane portion search fraud and informing that seizures from postal and courier services are “constantly increasing.”

To raise consciousness among holidaymakers, customs partners pinch nan National Anti-Counterfeiting Committee (CNAC), nan Colbert Committee and UNIFAB, moving poster campaigns astatine “the main tourer crossing points” to punctual passengers that a “cheap” luxury souvenir could extremity up confiscated, and time off them pinch fines alternatively of memories.

Spain

Spain’s authorities picture counterfeiting arsenic a nonstop onslaught connected nan country’s economy, jobs and user safety. According to nan Spanish Patents and Trade Mark Office (OEPM), it destroys “around 53,500 jobs per year”, causes “almost €7 cardinal successful income lost”, and is controlled by organised crime networks, making it “the 2nd astir profitable shape of trafficking by criminals aft arms trafficking.” Counterfeit equipment are besides branded a wellness hazard, since they “do not walk nan value controls that guarantee safe consumption” and tin endanger buyers. In position of clone bags and shoes, this tin mean nan inclusion of banned materials and chemicals that are harmful to health.

For travellers, nan Spanish informing is clear: counterfeit products are monitored some “on nan Spanish market, aliases astatine nan constituent of introduction into Spain… astatine immoderate separator checkpoint.” Customs officers tin detain equipment suspected of infringing business spot rights, and nan OEPM stresses that offences are prosecuted ex officio, meaning constabulary and customs do not request a general title to act.

This translates into strict rules for holidaymakers. As reported successful a caller tourism alert, Spanish constabulary now rumor hefty on-the-spot fines to visitors caught buying knock-off handbags, sunglasses aliases watches from nan alleged “looky looky men.” Penalties tin tally into hundreds of euros for moreover a azygous counterfeit item, and constabulary often confiscate nan equipment arsenic evidence.

Spain has besides strengthened coordination betwixt agencies done a multi-sector committee and a Bureau against forbidden believe of a profession, tying nan counterfeit waste and acquisition to nan protector system and mislaid taxation revenue. The OEPM advises that counterfeit income are typically linked to “illegal and itinerant sellers” controlled by criminal groups, and urges anyone who encounters specified activity to study it via nan Policía Nacional (091), municipal constabulary (092), aliases nan Guardia Civil (062).

Switzerland

Switzerland enforces immoderate of nan strictest anti-counterfeiting rules successful Europe. Perhaps this has thing to do pinch nan protection of nan country’s beloved Rolex watches. The Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (FOCBS) states intelligibly that it is “strictly prohibited to import into aliases export from Swiss customs territory counterfeited trademarks and counterfeited designs. This besides applies to tourer postulation equipment for individual usage which are imported, exported aliases are successful transit. Counterfeits whitethorn beryllium confiscated and destroyed erstwhile crossing nan border”– sloppy of whether nan equipment are caller aliases already utilized (BAZG).

According to nan FOCBS, “goods brought into aliases retired of Switzerland for backstage purposes successful tourer postulation are withheld… if location are reasonable grounds to fishy that they infringe trademark aliases creation rights.” In astir cases, travellers are asked to motion a “declaration of surrender”, aft which nan point is destroyed. While nan FOCBS itself charges nary fees for this simplified procedure, nan authorities holder whitethorn request compensation from nan traveller for nan infringement.

Most counterfeit equipment entering Switzerland now get via postal aliases courier services, pinch nan FOCBS noting that “over 90 per cent of nan equipment withheld arrived… successful mini consignments” linked to online shopping. This displacement has intensified parcel inspections, particularly astir luxury brands for illustration Rolex, Louis Vuitton and Chanel.

To thief consumers, Switzerland runs nan STOP PIRACY campaign, a public–private business that raises consciousness astir nan dangers of counterfeit goods.

Denmark

Private-use ownership and buying tin beryllium legal, and bringing specified equipment from different EU state is allowed for backstage use. But trading is illegal, and parcels bought from extracurricular nan EU tin beryllium withheld by nan taxation agency. (Consumer Europe Denmark)

Turkey (Türkiye)

A viral “dupe haul” civilization highlights easy entree to clone designer equipment successful Turkey. The Sun notes “Turkey is nan 3rd biggest exporter of counterfeit products to nan EU, pursuing only China and Hong Kong,” and “customs authorities person nan powerfulness to extremity and prehend counterfeit equipment entering aliases leaving Turkey.”

Turkish Customs Directorates activity intimately pinch IP authorities holders, and rule enforcement officers to forestall nan import, export and transit of counterfeit goods. They usage precocious consequence study systems to place perchance counterfeit equipment earlier they participate Turkish markets.

For travellers, Türkiye’s counterfeit laws are not conscionable aimed astatine large smugglers. Customs rules use arsenic to tourer postulation equipment for individual use, meaning moreover 1 clone handbag aliases brace of trainers tin beryllium seized astatine nan airport. Officials regularly transportation retired exit checks astatine airports and ferry ports, particularly for passengers flying backmost into nan EU.

Seized items tin beryllium destroyed wrong days, often without a tribunal order, leaving buyers pinch thing to show for their purchase. While visitors are seldom prosecuted, Turkish rule makes nary objection for “personal use” items.

How to debar buying clone designer items while travelling

Buy from charismatic boutiques aliases authorised retailers. Check serial numbers/holograms/authentication cards and support receipts, which tin beryllium very useful astatine separator checks. (Cuservi)

If you bought a counterfeit successful nan EU believing it was genuine, “you are entitled to either get your money backmost aliases to person nan genuine product,” and region buyers tin usage nan cooling-off play (you whitethorn salary return postage). For purchases extracurricular nan EU, protections are weaker; successful Denmark, SKAT tin withhold nan parcel and nan marque proprietor whitethorn act. (Consumer Europe Denmark)

Have you ever been stopped astatine EU customs while travelling pinch counterfeit designer goods?  Let america cognize successful nan comments below.

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