Marking the 12th anniversary of the establishment of the Coordination Body for the Efficient Protection of Intellectual Property Rights, we present its Annual Report for 2025.
The Report of the Coordination Body provides an overview of the activities and results of the competent state authorities in the field of intellectual property rights enforcement in the Republic of Serbia, as well as proposed measures to the Government of the Republic of Serbia aimed at creating conditions for more effective enforcement of intellectual property rights.
Results of State Authorities in the Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights
- Customs Administration and Market Inspection Sector: A total of 2,868 inspections and proceedings were carried out, and 476,236 products were destroyed due to intellectual property rights infringements. Of all proceedings conducted by the Market Inspection Sector and the Customs Administration, 59% concerned clothing and clothing accessories. The largest share of detained products found to infringe intellectual property rights consisted of labels and stickers (65.8%), followed by clothing (10.7%), packaging materials (9.6%), bags, wallets and handbags (4.3%), toys (2.8%) and textile products (2.2%).
- Ministry of Interior: A total of 237 criminal offences relating to intellectual property were recorded, involving the unauthorised use of another person’s business name or other distinctive designation of goods or services, as well as the unauthorised exploitation of copyrighted works or subject matter of related rights.
- Judiciary: Public prosecutor’s offices conducted proceedings against 226 persons, while courts handled 2,159 civil cases, of which 1,434 were before first-instance courts and 725 before second-instance courts.
Proposed Measures to Improve the Protection of Intellectual Property Rights
The Annual Report identifies four key areas for improving the intellectual property rights enforcement system in the Republic of Serbia:
- Strengthening the Capacities of Competent Authorities
Strengthening the human resources of competent authorities and ensuring continuous professional training for officials, public prosecutors and judges, with particular emphasis on combating online infringements of intellectual property rights.
- Improving the Legal Framework
Improving legislation to combat intellectual property rights infringements more effectively, including the illegal online sale of medicines, continuing the preparation of amendments to the Law on Special Powers for the Purpose of Efficient Protection of Intellectual Property Rights, and further aligning national legislation with the European Union acquis.
- Ensuring Adequate Storage Conditions for Temporarily Seized Goods
Providing appropriate storage facilities for temporarily seized goods, particularly medicines, medical devices, chemical products and other goods requiring special storage conditions.
- Establishing a System for the Destruction of Counterfeit Goods Classified as Hazardous Waste
Enhancing cooperation among competent intellectual property rights enforcement authorities and establishing a sustainable system for the safe transportation and destruction of counterfeit goods classified as hazardous waste, for which adequate treatment and destruction facilities are currently unavailable.
The full 2025 Report of the Coordination Body for the Efficient Protection of Intellectual Property Rights can be downloaded HERE.