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Piracy

Piracy can strike any business, both in the physical and in the digital environment. The more successful you are as an entrepreneur, the greater the risk that someone will copy your products.

Piracy means that someone unlawfully copies your protected intangible assets. For example, unlawful copying of music and film that is copyright protected or copying of protected goods and trademarks.

Facts about piracy (source: PRV)

  • Of all car spare parts sold in Sweden, 20 percent are estimated to be fakes.
  • It is estimated that 55 percent of all perfumes and cosmetics sold in Sweden are fakes.

More about piracy at PRV 

How do you protect yourself as an entrepreneur?

Start by registering your intellectual property rights – such as your trademarks, patents or designs – at the Swedish Intellectual Property Office (PRV).

Registering your intellectual property rights at the Swedish Intellectual Property Office

You cannot register a copyright. It automatically arises when you create your work. If you are going to export or produce your products abroad, you should register your intellectual property rights in the relevant countries.

Registering in other countries at the Swedish Intellectual Property Office

Application for preventive action

If you as an entrepreneur have registered intellectual property rights, you should, for preventative purposes, submit an application for action to Swedish Customs. Using the information you provide to Swedish Customs, they can more easily identify and stop goods suspected of being pirated.

If there is no application, Swedish Customs must first reach you in order for you to submit one before the matter can be dealt with. If too much time passes before all of the formalities are complete, the suspected pirated goods may need to be released.

Application for intervention at the Swedish Customs (in Swedish)