Intellectual Property Law · European Union
Stop Counterfeiting Before It Erodes Your Brand and Your Revenue
Counterfeit goods do not just steal sales — they damage your reputation, expose customers to unsafe products and fund operations that are hard to trace. We match you, free of charge, with a vetted intellectual property lawyer who enforces your rights against counterfeiters across Europe.
- 155+ legal services, 14 practice areas
- IP lawyers across the EU & EEA
- No fee to get matched
No commitment. No hidden fees.
Get matched with a lawyer
Tell us about your situation and receive a free, confidential case review.
Who this is for
Your brand is copied because it is worth copying — which is precisely why you need to defend it
Counterfeiting is the unauthorised manufacture and sale of goods that imitate a protected brand, design or product, often indistinguishable to the ordinary buyer and frequently sold through online marketplaces, social media and third-party platforms. The harm runs well beyond lost sales: counterfeit products can be unsafe, can damage the reputation of the genuine brand when they fail, and can divert revenue into networks that are deliberately hard to identify. Enforcement typically relies on registered rights — trade marks and designs — plus copyright, and it is fought through takedowns, customs seizures, cease-and-desist letters and, where necessary, litigation against sellers, importers and the intermediaries that carry the goods. Because the applicable procedures, the role of customs authorities and the remedies available all vary by country, effective anti-counterfeiting work depends on a lawyer who practises in the jurisdictions where the fakes are made, moved and sold.
Why counterfeiting is hard to stop
Take down one listing and another appears.
Counterfeiters adapt faster than you can react alone.
The sellers hide behind shell accounts and shifting storefronts, while the goods cross borders through channels designed to avoid detection.
Endless whack-a-mole listings
As soon as one counterfeit listing or storefront is removed, several more appear under new names, making manual takedowns a losing battle without a coordinated, repeatable enforcement strategy.
Anonymous sellers across borders
Counterfeiters routinely operate through intermediaries, shell companies and offshore accounts, and tracing the actual source often requires evidence and procedures that span several different jurisdictions.
Customs and platform bottlenecks
Getting counterfeit shipments stopped at the border or removed from a major platform depends on registered rights, correct documentation and knowing the right procedure — a slow or incomplete filing lets the goods through.
What you get
A counterfeiting lawyer who runs a coordinated enforcement programme
We only match you with intellectual property lawyers who handle brand protection, customs actions and anti-counterfeit enforcement regularly.
Rights audit & registration
Your lawyer confirms your trade marks, designs and copyright are registered and recorded where it matters — including with customs authorities — so you have the enforceable foundation that takedowns and seizures depend on.
Online takedowns & monitoring
Get systematic removal of counterfeit listings across marketplaces and platforms, backed by the correct legal notices and escalation paths, rather than one-off requests that counterfeiters simply ignore.
Customs & border actions
Your lawyer uses customs enforcement procedures to have suspected counterfeit shipments detained and examined at the border, working with the authorities in each country the goods move through.
Enforcement & litigation
Where takedowns and seizures are not enough, you get representation in pursuing the sellers, importers and intermediaries behind the counterfeiting, with a clear-eyed assessment of what a case can realistically achieve.
Coverage
Counterfeiting lawyers across Europe
Customs procedures, platform takedown processes and remedies all operate at national and EU level, so effective enforcement depends on counsel who practises where the fakes are sold and imported. We match cases across the following countries and beyond:
Frequently asked
Counterfeiting — common questions
What counts as counterfeiting?
Counterfeiting is the unauthorised production and sale of goods that imitate a protected brand, design or product, typically using a trade mark identical or confusingly similar to the genuine one. It is distinct from piracy, which usually refers to unauthorised copying of copyrighted works.
What rights do I need to enforce against counterfeiters?
In practice, registered rights such as trade marks and designs are the strongest foundation for enforcement, supplemented by copyright where relevant. Registration also enables customs and platform actions that are not readily available for unregistered rights, so a rights audit is usually the first step.
How can customs help stop counterfeit goods?
Most countries allow rights holders to record their trade marks with customs authorities so that suspected counterfeit shipments can be detained and examined at the border. The procedures and requirements vary by country, and a lawyer can manage the filings and follow-up.
How do online takedowns work?
Platforms typically operate notice-and-takedown procedures under which a rights holder can request removal of infringing listings by proving their rights. Counterfeiters frequently relist under new accounts, so takedowns are most effective as part of a sustained, monitored programme rather than as one-off actions.
Can I sue the counterfeiters directly?
Yes, in appropriate cases, though identifying the actual operators behind anonymous listings and shell accounts can be difficult and may require cross-border evidence gathering. A lawyer can assess whether litigation, or action against intermediaries, is the most effective route in your situation.
What remedies are available for counterfeiting?
Depending on the country, remedies can include injunctions, seizure and destruction of infringing goods, damages or an account of profits, and publication of the judgment. The practical availability and value of each varies by jurisdiction and the strength of your registered rights.
Free case review
Turn a losing battle into a coordinated defence of your brand
Tell us what is being counterfeited and where, and we’ll connect you with an intellectual property lawyer who handles anti-counterfeit enforcement in those markets — free of charge, with no obligation to hire.