Amazon’s IP Accelerator launches in Europe
Amazon today, November 25, expanded its IP Accelerator programme to Europe, which the company says will make it easier for brands to access legal support and combat counterfeit goods.
IP Accelerator, which is available to any brand selling on Amazon, connects companies to participating law firms for advice on registering their trademarks and protecting their brands.
The US e-commerce company launched the service last October, allowing businesses to take advantage of pre-negotiated rates with legal professionals.
Amazon announced today that the programme is now available in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Netherlands and the UK. The company claims it will help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) help plug the gap on IP protection, where larger firms are much more active in registering and protecting their rights.
The programme is just one of several IP and anti-counterfeiting initiatives that Amazon has pursued in recent years, amid criticism over the prevalence of fake goods on its platform.
Amazon acknowledged, for the first time, the risk of counterfeits in its annual report in February 2019. “To the extent any of this occurs, it could harm our business or damage our reputation and we could face civil or criminal liability for unlawful activities by our sellers,” the report to investors stated.
The company has also come into conflict with the administration of US President Donald Trump, which named Amazon on its “Notorious Markets” list in April. Amazon responded with claims that the Trump administration had a “ personal vendetta” against the e-commerce company. Last month, Trump announced he had directed the Department of Homeland Security target law enforcement efforts at e-commerce platforms involved in counterfeit trafficking.
Amazon’s efforts to improve its reputation on IP have included the Project Zero initiative, which it launched last February and has since expanded to 17 countries.
The company also announced yesterday that it would partner with the Department of Homeland Security to monitor and inspect counterfeit goods entering the US supply chain.
Commenting on today’s IP Accelerator announcement, Amazon’s vice president for EU seller services, Francois Saugier, said: “We know from our conversations with small business owners that there is often confusion about why IP rights are important and how sellers can secure them.”
Saugier said he hoped the programme would make “IP registration process as easy and as affordable as possible for entrepreneurs in the early days of their businesses”.
UK-based Stobbs IP is one of the law firms participating in the IP Accelerator project. Founder Julius Stobbs said the programme “elevates the importance of IP and pushes smaller companies to do the right thing: obtaining and respecting IP rights”.
Did you enjoy reading this story? Sign up to our free daily newsletters and get stories sent like this straight to your inbox
Today’s top stories
Netflix settles suit over 'Black Mirror' episode
Half of UK black barristers say race stifles career opportunities
