A new report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the EU Intellectual Property Office, have revealed that, in 2021, global trade in counterfeit goods was valued at approximately $467 billion, or 2.3% of total global imports. This absolute value represents an increase from 2019, when counterfeit trade was at $464 billion, although its relative share decreased compared to 2019 when it accounted for 2.5% of world trade. For imports into the EU, the value of counterfeits was estimated at $117 billion, or 4.7% of total EU imports.

The World Health Organisation’s (WHO) 2025 report, ‘Country Experiences on Implementation of Traceability for Medical Products’, highlights the uneven progress in global traceability efforts for medicines and vaccines. Drawing on survey responses from WHO member states, the report cites insufficient technological knowledge and capabilities as the biggest barriers to implementing traceability systems.

Intergraf's recent report 'Comparing Print and Digital Media’, provides an overview of studies comparing print and digital communication tools in the context of sustainability, efficiency, and consumer preference. However, some of the findings of the report are also relevant for authentication.

VDMA, the largest network organisation for mechanical engineering in Germany and Europe, has published its new study ‘Industrial Security and Product Piracy 2024’. The study reveals a significant decrease in the number of companies affected by product and brand piracy, but highlights the increasing need for measures against digital threats.

Reconnaissance International is pleased to announce the release of its new publication – ‘Smartphones for Authentication’ – the only publication of its kind.

Established in 1952, the WCO (World Customs Organisation) is the global centre of customs experience, representing 185 customs administrations that collectively process approximately 98% of world trade.

In April, Amazon released its third annual brand protection report, with an update of activities to ensure authenticity of goods sold in its store, and to fight bad actors.

Most books that I have written about in Authentication & Brand News™ (ABN) are of interest because they examine the problem of counterfeit products or consider how brand owners can fight against these counterfeits.

There are very few books to guide brand owners on their brand protection (BP) programmes, so ‘Brand Protection and the Global Risk of Product Counterfeits’ is a useful addition to that small library.

The OECD has published a series of reports into illicit trade, the most recent of which is ‘eCommerce Challenges in Illicit Trade in Fakes’. The report is the first outcome of a special project on illicit trade between the Anti-Illicit Trade Expert Group (AITEG) and the public-private partnership (PPP), established under the OECD Task Force on Countering Illicit Trade (TF-CIT).