Washington DC, Tuesday 26 April 2022 – TIC Council Americas is an official signatory in a letter published by the Shop Safe Coalition in support of US legislation to address counterfeiting. As part of a coalition of industry leaders concerned about the rise in counterfeit products, the letter aims to highlight the dangers of such products on consumer health and safety by increasing protection against unreliable and unregulated products.
The sale of counterfeit products, particularly those sold online, is increasing and research studies have shown that these products are unsafe, insecure, and are unreliable. Theft of intellectual property hurts businesses and original designers, and Testing, Inspection, and Certification (“TIC”) marks, meant to confirm for consumers that products meet US regulatory and industry safety requirements, are being counterfeited.
OpSec’s 2021 Consumer Confidence Barometer identified that counterfeiters have become increasingly adept at making it difficult for consumers to differentiate between counterfeit and legitimate products, thus increasing the risk that an unsafe product will make it into consumer households.
TIC Council Americas is proud to stand with fellow industry stakeholders in submitting a letter of support for the SHOP SAFE Act of 2021 (H.R. 5374/S. 1843) to congress. The SHOP Safe Act addresses contributory liability for the use of a counterfeit mark by third parties on electronic commerce platforms and is a necessary step in addressing this critical issue.
“On World Intellectual Property Day, I am proud to stand with coalition partners representing U.S. intellectual property rights holders, manufacturers, and public health organizations to support the passage of the SHOP SAFE Act.” - Karin Athanas, TIC Council Americas Executive Director
TIC Council Americas is also a member of the Buy Safe Coalition and also supports passage of the INFORM Consumer Act which would increase transparency and accountability for online marketplaces amid the rapidly growing problem of illicit goods sold online.
TIC Council Americas will continue to offer its full support and public advocacy efforts towards safe and secure online environments. We invite you to read the signed letter by clicking here.
In addition, Karin will testify at the U.S Product Safety Commission (CPSC), on Wednesday 27 April at 10:00am EST, to further highlight the importance of anti-counterfeiting efforts. To register and access the agenda, click here.
TIC Council Americas continues to be vocal and active in fighting the issue of online counterfeiting. In light of World Intellectual Property Day, we invite you to read our Position Papers on recommendations for combating the growth of counterfeit goods sold in the United States as well as counterfeit products sold on e-commerce platforms posing a growing risk to safety. Moreover, you can also find out more about TIC Council’s anti-counterfeiting campaign entitled “Check the Fake and Be Safe” here.
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