New e-commerce platform joins IPEP

Alibaba International has recently joined the likes of Amazon Marketplace and other e-commerce platforms in enrolling in the EU IPO’s Customs IP Enforcement Portal (“IPEP”). 

The effects and benefits of this are briefly discussed in our original commentary on the matter here. But in summary, by enrolling in IPEP, Alibaba will now be able to use the portal to identify designated contact points for registered brand owners. This will enable them to share important information on their own IP protection policies with right holders and hopefully aid in the notification of potentially infringing content.

Alibaba being enrolled in IPEP will also make it easier for right holders to register for the platform’s own IP protection policy and share information about their own brand and anti-counterfeiting measures with the e-commerce giant. 

With online sales of counterfeit goods continuing to increase, the amount of information sources and individual requirements to battle counterfeit listings on each individual platform can be overwhelming both both right holders and their representatives. It is therefore welcoming to see efforts to simplify this process. 

If you are not already registered with the IPEP portal as a right holder, Marks & Clerk has an experienced team of anti-counterfeiting experts who will be able to assist with this.