EULEX have organized two separate seminars on ‘Combatting Counterfeit and Illicit Spirits’ which were delivered to 26 Kosovo Custom Officers.  The market for counterfeit spirits is a lucrative business which causes revenue and job losses to legitimate manufacturers. The production of counterfeit products also can and do seriously harm consumers.

The European Union Intellectual Property Office has reported that counterfeit alcohol is responsible for €1.3 billion in lost revenues and taxes to the EU member states and also costs the EU economy up to €3 billion a year. The Western Balkans with a population of more than 20 million has become an increasingly popular place for the production and distribution of counterfeit goods. This includes counterfeit alcohol which is generally operated by organised crime groups, as the profit margins are very high.

These seminars were therefore welcomed and appreciated by the Kosovo Customs Director General, as combatting the scourge of counterfeit spirits is a growing concern in Kosovo and throughout the region.