Today, the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) published a study examining the perception of Intellectual Property (IP) rights amongst European citizens.

In surveying the opinions of 26,555 people across the EU-28, the study found that 70% of Europeans strongly said nothing can justify the purchase of counterfeit goods, while 78% believe that buying counterfeit products ruins businesses and jobs.

There is also a clear preference amongst Europeans to use legal means to access online content, with 83% of those surveyed acknowledging that they use legal means of access to online content when there is an affordable option is available.

The EU-wide study reveals that during the economic crisis, when household budgets were under pressure, a staggering 97% firmly backed behind the rights of inventors, creators and performing artists to be fairly compensated.

In comparison to the 2013 study, there is a growing and favorable trend towards paying for access to digital content. Some 27% said they paid for accessing legal content, which is a 7 percentage point increase from 2013. Support amongst young people also grew; 41% of the interviewees stated they are buying online content via lawful channels, also a 7 percentage increase.

Interested in learning more?

Click here and access the full EUIPO study titled “European citizens and Intellectual Propriety: perception, awareness and behavior.”