An overview of global counterfeiting and the Swiss economy

This chapter appraises the damage caused by infringement of Swiss intellectual property rights in world trade. It identifies who suffers in particular from this illicit activity, estimates the scope and volume of such infringements, and presents the top destination and provenance economies for counterfeit goods that infringe Swiss IPR. The focus then shifts to the Swiss products that are most susceptible to counterfeiting. This chapter also pays particular attention to the latest trends in trade in counterfeit goods infringing Swiss IPR related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, the negative effects of IPR infringement on the Swiss economy are estimated in terms of lost sales, lost jobs, and lost government revenue.