The workshop was followed by the 12th European Intellectual Property Prosecutors Network (EIPPN) Workshop organised by the European Observatory on Infringements of Intellectual Property Rights on 11 and 12 September, with the support of the WBCJ project.

Bringing together prosecutors, investigators, and IP crime experts from the Western Balkans, Moldova, Ukraine and the EU, both events provided a platform to share good practices and strengthen judicial cooperation in the fight against IP crime and its links to organised criminal networks.

During the WBCJ-led event on 10 September, participants examined the state of alignment with the EU acquis on intellectual property rights across the Western Balkans, discussed the intersection between IP crime and organised crime, and explored tools for improving cross-border cooperation. Contributions from Europol, OLAF, Eurojust, and IP enforcement experts offered a comprehensive overview of available support mechanisms, while discussions with private sector representatives addressed copyright piracy, counterfeiting, and the value of criminal referrals. In addition to practitioners from the Western Balkans, the partnership with the EU4IP project allowed the participation of prosecutors from Ukraine and Moldova.

The final session featured group discussions that explored real-life case studies, including on the online sale of counterfeit goods, trade of fake pesticides and pharmaceuticals, and digital piracy. Western Balkan prosecutors actively exchanged insights with their EU counterparts, enhancing mutual understanding of current trends and enforcement challenges.

The 12th EIPPN Workshop on effective prosecutions of IP crime in practice featured presentations from prosecutors and legal experts on a range of cases on streaming platforms data fraud cases, trade secret theft, and plant variety rights. The challenges and opportunities posed by artificial intelligence in the context of IP crime were also addressed. Eurojust delivered an update on ongoing efforts to support cross-border prosecutions and presented the WBCJ project, while national case studies from Ireland, Spain and Sweden offered practical insights into investigative strategies and prosecution approaches in IP-related criminal cases. The WBCJ project supported this event by funding the participation of prosecutors from the Western Balkans.

At both events, Western Balkan prosecutors had the opportunity to share their national experiences, and explore joint strategies to address evolving threats in IP crime.