Alibaba talks up anti-counterfeiting credentials in wake of USTR swipe

The Office of the US Trade Representative’s (USTR) Special 301 Out-of-Cycle Review of Notorious Markets for 2015 has identified the online marketplaces that reportedly facilitate substantial online piracy and counterfeiting. While sites owned by the Alibaba Group were not listed, the USTR highlighted concerns over its enforcement programmes. By apparent coincidence, in the same week, Alibaba announced that it was bolstering its anti-counterfeiting efforts, starting with the appointment of a new head of global IP enforcement.