On 14th December 2020, the European Commission published the Counterfeit and Piracy Watch List 2020, mentioning a list of the online and physical marketplace for infringed goods and products.
The EUIPO, through its Observatory on Infringements of IP Rights, has supported the creation of the Watch List with a number of its studies, as well as by coordinating the involvement of EUROPOL’s Intellectual Property Crime Coalition (IPC3).
The Watch List names both online and physical marketplaces that reportedly engage in or facilitate substantial IPR infringements, in particular by counterfeiting and piracy. It focuses on marketplaces located outside the EU and is intended to encourage operators, local enforcement agencies, and governments to act against them. A further aim is to raise awareness among EU citizens of the risks of purchasing from these marketplaces.
The Watch List is based on information reported in a public consultation process and is divided into the following areas: online marketplaces and service providers offering or facilitating access to copyright-protected content, e-commerce platforms, online pharmacies, and service providers facilitating the sales of medicines, and physical marketplaces. A new section titled ‘positive developments since the 2018 Watch List’ provides details on enforcement actions and measures taken since the publication of the previous report. The Watch List is not exhaustive and does not purport to make findings of legal violations.
The Commission is planning to update the Watch List regularly and monitor any measures taken in relation to the marketplaces listed in it. It is also interested to follow the work of the Observatory with regards to its cooperation with intermediaries.
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