Analytics, EU – Baltic States, Law and Regulations, Markets and Companies

In terms of indirect losses caused by counterfeiting and piracy as well as the number of jobs lost to counterfeiting and piracy, Latvia is ranked higher than the EU average and is in third place according to the amount of indirect losses and sixth according to the number of jobs lost.

Latvia is also ranked second according to the proportion of indirect losses caused by counterfeit clothing, footwear and accessories (22% of all sales) and counterfeit sports goods (16%).

A series of studies carried out by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) through the  European Observatory on Infringements of Intellectual Property Rights, estimates that over EUR 48 bln — or 7.4% of all sales — is lost every year in nine sectors, due to the presence of fake goods in the marketplace. Every year, an additional EUR 35 bln is also lost across the EU economy due to the indirect effects of counterfeiting and piracy in these sectors, as manufacturers buy fewer goods and services from suppliers, causing knock-on effects in other areas.

The nine affected sectors are: cosmetics and personal care; clothing, footwear and accessories; sports goods; toys and games; jewellery and watches; handbags; recorded music; spirits and wine; and pharmaceuticals.

The EUIPO studies were carried out from March 2015 to September 2016.