Cheap designer furniture breaches EU law under accelerated implementation

The opportunity to buy cheap designer furniture will end this year following an EU shake-up of replica laws which makes it a criminal offence.

The previous coalition government’s decision to repeal Section 52 of the Copyright, Designs & Patents Act 1988, as part of the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013, was expected to be implemented in 2020, to give companies affected time to adapt.

However, a legal challenge has forced the government to fast-track it to April 28 this year. Companies will have six months to sell their stock from this date.

Companies can currently sell replica goods providing 25 years has passed from the date the item originally went on sale, but a new EU ruling has extended that period to 70 years.

Businesses which sell replica furniture could become liable to a potential fine of up to £50,000, and a custodial sentence of up to 10 years. 

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