The Office of the United States Trade Representative ( USTR ) has urged trading partners to improve intellectual property protection after identifying 69 physical and online markets offering counterfeit goods and services.

The USTR’s latest Review of Notorious Markets for Counterfeiting and Piracy names 32 physical markets in 19 countries ( Argentina, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, China, Colombia, India, Indonesia, Kyrgyz Republic, Malaysia, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Thailand, Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam ).

In a statement released on March 4, USTR ambassador Jamieson Greer says the US is “particularly attuned to sales of counterfeit merchandise” as it is co-hosting the Fifa World Cup ( June 11 to July 19 ) this year, along with Mexico and Canada.

“Not only do such activities amount to intellectual property theft, they also harm consumers, such as through purchasing substandard goods that can present health or safety concerns or downloading malware when visiting sites engaged in these activities.”

The latest review lists five markets in China ( Baiyun Leather Trading Centre and Kinsun Market in Guangzhou, Huaqiangbei Electronics Malls and Luohu Commercial City in Shenzhen, and Wu’ai Market in Shenyang ) and three in India ( Musafir Khana Market in Mumbai, Sadar Patrappa Road Market in Bengaluru, and Tank Road in Delhi ).

Elsewhere in Asia, the report names two in Vietnam ( Gia Lam market in Hanoi and Saigon Square Shopping Mall in Ho Chi Minh City ) and one each in Cambodia ( Central Market in Phnom Penh ), Indonesia ( Mangga Dua Market in Jakarta ), Malaysia ( Petaling Street Market in Kuala Lumpur ), the Philippines ( Greenhills Shopping Centre in Manila ) and Thailand ( MBK Centre in Bangkok ).

The review also identifies 37 online market sites, including e-commerce and social commerce sites, “bulletproof” hosting providers, streaming sites, and other piracy-enabling sites for copying and distributing content. 

“The global nature of sophisticated copyright piracy operations requires international cooperation for effective enforcement,” the statement says. “USTR calls on trading partners to undertake policy reforms to strengthen intellectual property protections.”