This document, which is updated on an annual basis, provides an overview of the case -law of national courts with regard to the application of national legislations regulating intellectual property crime (IPC).

An IPC is an infringement of intellectual property (IP) rights, such as counterfeiting commodities or pirating content. Counterfeiting involves the manufacturing, sale or distribution of goods without the IP right owner’s authorisation. The criminal offence of counterfeiting goods infringes intellectual property rights such as trademarks, designs, patents or geographical indications. Piracy, on the other hand, concerns the unauthorised use and exploitation of a copyright-protected work or copies thereof without the authorisation of the right holder.

The case-law overview contains summaries of national judgments, categorised in accordance with the main legal issues they address. Each summary includes a set of keywords reflecting the main issues of the case and references to the relevant legal provisions. Each summary also includes a list of the applicable legislation. The full text of each article in the original language, along with its English translation, can be accessed by clicking on the hyperlink provided.