IP boosted by passage of US customs bill

Legislation requiring customs officials to share knowledge of seized counterfeit products with right owners will head to the White House after the US Senate approved a bill yesterday.

The Senate passed the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act on Thursday, February 11.

President Barack Obama, who will now have to sign the bill into law, welcomed the result.

“We are pleased the Senate passed the bipartisan customs conference report because it will provide additional tools to help crack down on unfair competition by trading partners and foreign companies that put our workers and businesses at a disadvantage,” he said.

The bill requires US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to inform intellectual property owners of shipments of counterfeit goods and share intelligence on such abuses.

Previously, the CBP has delayed sharing information on counterfeit products with right owners and provided only redacted key documents on such abuses.

According to a report by the Congressional Research Service published last year, right owners have criticised the CBP’s work with the private sector on tackling the importation of counterfeit goods as “inadequate”.

The bill also requires the US Trade Representative to appoint a chief innovation and IP negotiator to help tackle the importation of counterfeit products.

The news was welcomed by representatives from the semiconductor industry.

John Neuffer, chief executive of the Semiconductor Industry Association, said: “The customs bill Congress approved yesterday will help reduce this risk and root out counterfeit semiconductors by ensuring open communication between customs officials and semiconductor manufacturers, who are best-equipped to identify counterfeits.”