On 23 April 2026, the EU SME Centre, together with the IP SME Helpdesk and the IPR Working Group of the European Chamber, organised the working group meeting “Counterfeiting in China’s Online and Offline Markets: How European SMEs Can Identify Risks and Protect Their Business.”
The event opened with an in-depth presentation by Felice Meli, Partner and Head of Anti-Counterfeiting Department in the Ferrante Intellectual Property, on the key trends in counterfeiting and available legal remedies for EU SMEs operating in China. He highlighted the relevance of the issue, noting that only 24% of SMEs successfully navigate the Chinese market, and emphasised the importance of registering local trademark, as IP rights registered outside China are not recognised automatically. Felice Meli also outlined emerging trends in online infringement, including the rise of AI-generated content and live-streaming e-commerce as new avenues for counterfeiting, as well as malicious trademark squatting targeting SMEs that delay registration. He then flagged three offline IP infringement trends contributing to counterfeiting activities: production moving to rural areas, making it harder to investigate, deliberate fragmentation of supply chains to evade authorities, and a shift toward “made-to-order” production to avoid detection. Felice also presented several case studies, including Huawei, Jingshan and Pop Mart to illustrate how companies can strategically deploy IP rights against infringement.
Following his presentation, Min Gao, Chair of the IPR WG in the European Chamber, moderated the panel discussions with speakers Helika Jürgenson, Project Manager at the China IP SME Helpdesk, and Miller Wang, Vice Chair of the Fashion and Leather Desk in the European Chamber. Miller Wang highlighted that China’s internet ecosystem requires a distinct strategy from the rest of the world. With 70-80% of enforcement budgets allocated to e-commerce monitoring. He noted that WeChat is the most difficult platform to police due to its private nature and emphasised that each platform requires tailored approaches. Helika Jürgenson outlined the practical steps SMEs should take upon discovering counterfeiting, stressing that trademark registration in China is he essential first step, as IP rights are territorial. She noted that the China SME Desk is the first viable contact point, and that evidence must be authorised to be recognised in courts, with blockchain-based evidence being the most cost-effective alternative.
The event finished with an engaging Q&A session.
