The
US apparel and footwear sector is among several industries that have urged US
President-elect Donald Trump to crack down on the illicit trafficking of
counterfeit goods.
The
group, which includes the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA),
outlines immediate considerations related to counterfeit goods for the first
100 days of US president-elect Trump’s Administration. Trade in counterfeit
products is considered a high-risk area that threatens the US’s innovation
economy, the competitiveness of businesses, and the livelihoods of US workers.
In some cases, it also poses risks to national security and the health and
safety of consumers.
The signatories applaud previous Trump
Administration actions, including the 2019 Memorandum on Combating Trafficking
in Counterfeit and Pirated Goods which resulted in the interagency report
issued by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), developed because
“…illicit activity impacts American innovation and erodes the competitiveness
of US manufacturers and workers.”
Among its recommendations to establish a
strong foundation for IP protection, the letter says the Administration should:
Nominate and support the
confirmation of critical administration positions key to protecting and
enforcing intellectual property (IP) rights such as:
An Intellectual Property
Enforcement Coordinator (IPEC) to oversee and coordinate IP enforcement
actions and policies across the administration
An Under Secretary of
Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the US Patent and
Trademark Office (USPTO) to protect IP and drive innovative digital
policies for creators and innovators.
The Commissioner for US
Customs and Border Protection has already been nominated. CBP has
designated the protection of IP rights as a Priority Trade Issue (PTI).
Convene an interagency working group
to fight against illicit trade, protect IP, and eradicate counterfeits to
combat the trafficking of counterfeits and other infringing products within the
first 100 days to connect (at least quarterly) with stakeholders.
Resume steps to implement
recommended actions outlined in the 2020 DHS report on Combating Trafficking in
Counterfeit and Pirated Goods.
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Evaluate actions for holistic
counterfeit prevention with Executive Orders, Regulation, and/or needed Policy
Changes.
Support passage of the SHOP SAFE Act
as introduced [H.R.8684 / S. 2934] in the 118th Congress to incentivise
e-commerce platforms to improve their systems to detect and prevent the sale of
counterfeit products.
