Can I buy counterfeits abroad over the Internet?
For commercial purposes, it is illegal to buy counterfeits over the Internet from abroad, no matter it the goods are sent from within or outside of the EU. It is immaterial if it was legal to produce market or sell the goods in the country the goods originate from. It depends on an individual judgment in each case, whether the goods have been purchased for commercial purposes. Thus, in principal, it is not illegal to buy counterfeits in Denmark. Judging whether the goods have been purchased for commercial purposes is independent of the recipient’s own perception. Buying counterfeits, it is important to be aware that counterfeits may be hazardous to your health or dangerous. In addition, you are aiding somebody in gaining illegal profits. And in some cases these profits may finance organised crime.
You should also be aware that customs authorities have the right to interfere with packages containing counterfeits sent from outside the EU, no matter the value of the goods. It is up to the rights holder to prove that bringing the goods into Denmark is in conflict with Danish intellectual property rights legislation. On the website of the Danish Tax and Customs Administration (SKAT) you can find a guide to the treatment of shipments of counterfeits and under Cases you will find examples of their interventions. (findes noget af dette på engelsk?)
Concerning medicines, see website of the Danish Medicins Agency.
Last updated: Wednesday, August 31, 2011


