Washington:
Snapdeal, one particular of India’s biggest e-commerce platforms, along with 4 Indian purchasing complexes, two of them in New Delhi alone, have figured in the most current 2020 Review of Notorious Markets for Counterfeiting and Piracy issued by the Office of the US Trade Representative.
The 4 Indian markets that have located mention in the list are Heera Panna in Mumbai, Kidderpore in Kolkata and Palika Bazaar and Tank Road in Delhi.
Aizawl’s Millennium Center was talked about in the final list of notorious markets, but now it has been replaced by Palika Bazaar.
“Holding intellectual property rights violators accountable and ensuring that American innovators and creators have a full and fair opportunity to use and profit from their work is critical for both physical and online markets,” US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer stated.
In addition to addressing the function of e-commerce in facilitating the sale of pirated and counterfeit goods, the 2020 Review of Notorious Markets identifies 39 on-line markets and 34 physical markets that are reported to be engaged in or have facilitated substantial trademark counterfeiting and copyright piracy.
The report involves for the very first time a section addressing the function of world wide web platforms in facilitating the importation of counterfeit and pirated goods into the United States.
“Today, the greatest risk of importation of counterfeit and pirated goods, harming both US content creators and US consumers, is posed not by foreign flea markets and dark web sites but by inadequate policies and inadequate action by e-commerce companies that market and sell foreign products to American consumers,” Lighthizer stated.
“Combatting piracy and counterfeits will require sustained effort by both the federal government and by companies that profit from the sale of such goods,” the official stated.
Although the majority of counterfeit goods seized by American law enforcement agencies originate in China and Hong Kong ?- 92 per cent by worth – the issue is worldwide, with more key points of origin, like India, Singapore, Thailand, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates, the report stated.
The USTR stated Snapdeal remains a concern for ideal holders who report that the volume of counterfeit merchandise on this platform has elevated more than the previous year.
“According to a November 2018 survey, 37 per cent of purchasers reported that they had received a counterfeit product from Snapdeal. In July 2019, Snapdeal”s founders were accused of criminal conduct in India for selling counterfeit products there. Right holders have also sued Snapdeal for selling counterfeit goods,” it stated.
The USTR stated Heera Panna, a key indoor market place positioned at the heart of Mumbai, reportedly gives higher top quality counterfeit watches, footwear, apparel, accessories, and cosmetics. Right holders warn that counterfeit cosmetics sold at this market place have wellness and security dangers.
Locally identified as “Fancy Market”, Kidderpore in Kolkata reportedly sells counterfeit customer electronics, apparel, cosmetics, and pirated computer software and media, typically at wholesale quantities, the report stated.
Palika Bazaar, the underground market place in Delhi is reportedly nicely-identified for the trade of counterfeit merchandise. Many shoppers are reportedly students and other young men and women who want trendy merchandise at inexpensive rates. The market place is also a common location for vacationers, the USTR stated.
According to the report, Tank Road continues to sell counterfeit merchandise, like apparel and footwear. Wholesale counterfeit goods are also reportedly supplied from this market place to other Indian markets, like Gaffar Market and Ajmal Khan Road.
Right holders report that conducting enforcement actions at this place is highly-priced and difficult, and sellers typically seem to have sophisticated expertise of raids, limiting their effectiveness, it stated.