In 2024, the European Union saw a sharp rise in seizures of counterfeit goods, with authorities confiscating around 112 million items valued at more than 3.8 billion euros - an increase of 30% compared to 2022. The trend highlights the growing prevalence of intellectual property crimes, particularly in the digital sphere, according to a joint report by the Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union and the EU Intellectual Property Office. Interior Minister Daniel Mitov spoke on the issue at the Europol conference in Sofia, titled “From click to crime: investigating intellectual property crimes in the digital age.”

During the event, Mitov presented a plaque to Burkhard Muhl, head of Europol’s European Financial and Economic Crime Centre, praising his strategic leadership. “Mr Muhl’s vision has significantly strengthened Europe’s protection against organized crime, including intellectual property offenses,” Mitov said, adding that the support of highly trained professionals under Muhl is crucial for cross-border law enforcement cooperation.

Mitov also emphasized the economic and safety impact of counterfeiting, noting that the EU loses roughly 15 billion euros annually to these crimes. He pointed out that counterfeit medicines, cosmetics, car parts, and software not only threaten the economy but also the health and safety of citizens. Bulgaria, he said, is taking a leading role in coordinating the EU’s response and is performing comparatively well in curbing such offenses.

Vladimir Dimitrov, Director of Cybersecurity at Bulgaria’s General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime, stressed the priority given to protecting intellectual property and copyright. Two Bulgarian experts are currently stationed at Europol headquarters in The Hague to support operations across Europe. Dimitrov also warned that individuals who download pirated software risk infecting their systems with viruses, which can lead to further cybercrimes over time.