USTR Announces Results of Special 301 Review of Notorious Markets and Identifies Marketplaces that Facilitate Global Piracy and Counterfeiting (released 12/13/2012):

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"Washington, D.C. – United States Trade Representative (USTR) Ron Kirk today announced the results of the Special 301 Out-of-Cycle Review of Notorious Markets. The review lists more than 30 Internet and physical markets that exemplify marketplaces that deal in infringing goods and services, facilitating and sustaining global piracy and counterfeiting. The results identify examples of marketplaces that have been the subject of enforcement actions connected with counterfeiting and piracy, or that may merit further investigation for possible intellectual property rights (IPR) infringements. The review also reflects the removal of eight previously listed markets due to law enforcement actions against those markets, or significant voluntary actions by market operators, aimed at addressing the problems identified. The Notorious Markets Review document can be read here.

BACKGROUND:

USTR has identified notorious markets in the Special 301 Report since 2006. In 2010, USTR announced that it would begin to publish the Notorious Markets list separately from the Special 301 Report, in order to increase public awareness and guide related trade enforcement actions. USTR published the first stand-alone Notorious Markets list in February 2011, as an “Out-of-Cycle Review of Notorious Markets,” and the second such report in December 2011.

The USTR announcement concludes the process launched on August 14, 2012. The Special 301 Subcommittee received and reviewed written submissions from the public concerning potential examples of Internet and physical notorious markets. The Notorious Markets Review released today is the result of this effort. Public submissions may be viewed online at www.regulations.gov, Docket number USTR-2012-0011."