In its conclusions on intellectual property policy of 10 November 2020, the Council sets up a number of guidelines on better intellectual property enforcement. The Council is concerned that there is still a high number of counterfeit goods being offered on online marketplaces – including those that threaten public health and security. This situation exists despite several memoranda of understanding that the EU concluded with companies. The Council calls on the Commission to:

• Provide country-by-country data on levels of counterfeiting and piracy, in order to better assess the effectiveness of countermeasures;
• Establish principles designed for enhanced tripartite collaboration between right holders, intermediaries, and law enforcement authorities;
• Propose measures that require online platforms and other hosting providers to take proportionate measures against counterfeits.

In general, the Council stressed the importance of a strong, efficient, transparent and balanced IP protection scheme.