[130419.EN.BIZ] US Clamps Down on Fake Goods Trade Across Amazon, Alibaba And eBay

US President Donald Trump has signed a presidential memorandum to rein in what the administration calls the "Wild West" of online trafficking in counterfeit goods.

The memorandum is aimed at stopping the sale of counterfeit products on sites like Amazon, eBay and China's e-commerce leader, Alibaba.

The White House's Director of the Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy Peter Navarro says Alibaba, Amazon and eBay are conduits for counterfeit goods suppliers to sell their goods to unsuspecting American consumers, claiming a 40 per cent chance that any brand name product bought via these digital marketplaces could be counterfeit.

Mr Navarro told reporters during a recent press briefing that the online marketplace should consider the memorandum "a warning shot across the bow that everyone involved in these types of supply chains has a responsibility to combat counterfeit goods trafficking and "if you don't clean it up, the government will".

He said this finding was further confirmed by a January 2018 Government Accountability Office investigation into third-party online purchases, American Shipper reported.

Mr Navarro said the third-party online marketplaces, together with third-party payment processors and customs brokers, believe they have "no liability and that simply has to stop".

The White House official pointed out that counterfeiters, as well as opioid sellers, are taking advantage of the US$800 de minimis per imported package by not having to provide additional information about their shipments to Customs and Border Protection.

The newly signed presidential memorandum calls for improved coordination between the Commerce and Homeland Security departments, Office of Management and Budget, Office of the US Trade Representative and Attorney General to counter the rise of counterfeit imports sold online.

Source : HKSG.