The 14-page Spring 2008 issue of the Anti-Counterfeiting Group's Newsletter is now available here. Among other items it contains a controversial feature on eBay:

" ... we've heard about a great new initiative from our favourite auction site, allowing people to re-sell tickets for charity events through their 'eBay for Charity' programme, with at least 20% of the auction price going back to the original charity organisation. eBay will automatically delete listings by sellers who do not donate, and no one-day or three-day auctions will be allowed. Presto! all the things they said they couldn't do for brand owners! Our question to them - when will something similar be introduced into eBay's anti-counterfeiting strategy - has so far gone unanswered.

They are however keen to communicate with AIM's Anti-Counterfeiting Committee and indeed are trying to join it, to strengthen their association with brand owners at EU level. This is not thought to be appropriate at the moment, but the Committee has recently discussed some aspects of the problems which rights holders have with eBay and other Internet sites selling fakes. It has been decided to produce a position paper relating to the current legal situation (with potential liability for eBay etc) and a wish-list of the remedies we would like to see eBay introduce to combat IP crime on its site, which will form the basis, we hope, for useful dialogue".