The yearly 'notorious markets' list by US has been revealed for 2020 and just like last year, it features four of India's physical markets, two from the capital itself and one of India's largest ecommerce platforms, Snapdeal.
In order to interpret the implications of these markets appearing in the review, it's important to understand the meaning and origin of this review list :
A notorious market is a website or physical market designated by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) where large-scale intellectual property infringement takes place.
The USTR generates a yearly list of notorious markets since 2006, following input from various industry groups. The report also recommends trade sanctions for countries with weak copyright protection enforcement.
The 2020 Review of Notorious Markets identifies 38 online markets and 34 physical markets that are reported to be engaged in or have facilitated substantial trademark counterfeiting and copyright piracy.
In its 2020 list, four of India's physical markets that have found mention are Heera Panna in Mumbai, Kidderpore in Kolkata and Palika Bazaar and Tank Road in Delhi alongwith Snapdeal featuring in the online markets list.
Aizawl's Millennium Center was also mentioned in the last list of notorious markets, but now it has been replaced by Palika Bazaar.
The USTR said Snapdeal remains a concern for right holders who report that the volume of counterfeit products on this platform has increased over the past year.
The report also said that Heera Panna, a major indoor market located at the heart of Mumbai, reportedly offers high quality counterfeit watches, footwear, apparel, accessories, and cosmetics. Right holders warned that counterfeit cosmetics sold at this market carry health and safety risks.
Kidderpore in Kolkata also reportedly sells counterfeit consumer electronics, apparel, cosmetics, and pirated software. And similarly, Tank Road continues to sell counterfeit products, including apparel and footwear.
Apart from Snapdeal, Amazon's web domains not only in India but in Canada, France, Germany and the UK have also made it to the list. However, Amazon condemned this saying that, "We strongly disagree with the characterisation of Amazon in this USTR report. This purely political act is another example of the Administration using the US government to advance a personal vendetta against Amazon," an Amazon spokesperson said to The Economic Times.
The report includes for the first time a section addressing the role of internet platforms in facilitating the importation of counterfeit and pirated goods into the United States. The list's intent is to create awareness in the companies experiencing concerns related to counterfeit goods and commit more resources for its protection.
