The European Commission has published its latest Report on the Protection and Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights in Third Countries (SWD(2025)131), along with the updated Counterfeit and Piracy Watch List (SWD(2025)132).
No country from the region has been designated as a “priority country” for systemic intellectual property issues, which marks an improvement compared to the 2015 report, when Montenegro ranked second after China as a source of counterfeit goods.
Despite this progress, the circulation of counterfeit products remains a serious concern. According to the most recent EU customs data, 17.5 million counterfeit items were intercepted at the EU’s external borders in 2023 alone.
Within this context, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina are specifically mentioned as neighbouring countries still facing notable challenges:
- In Serbia, the flea market in Subotica is identified as a major hub for counterfeit apparel and footwear, reportedly originating from China and Turkey. The report also highlights Novi Pazar’s textile production as a possible contributor to the supply chain. Serbian authorities seized over 800,000 counterfeit items during the 2023/2024 period.
- In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Arizona Market near Brčko continues to raise concerns due to the widespread availability of counterfeit consumer goods, such as electronics and clothing. According to stakeholders, some products arrive unbranded and are later labeled with trademarks or copyright-protected logos on-site .
While neither country is classified as high-risk , the specific mention of these marketplaces underlines the need for targeted regulatory attention. Both enforcement bodies and rights holders are encouraged to remain proactive in addressing these challenges.
The full report is available here.
The information in this document does not constitute legal advice on any particular matter and is provided for general informational purposes only.
