Requesting feedback on recent infringement and anti-counterfeiting Federal Register Notices

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) requests your feedback on three newly issued Federal Register Notices.

State sovereign immunity

The Sovereign Immunity Study notice is intended to aid the USPTO in the preparation of a report requested by Congress on the extent to which trademark and patent rights holders experience infringement by states and state entities without the availability of adequate state law remedies and on the extent to which that infringement may be based on intentional or reckless conduct.

Comments close on December 21, 2020.

Secondary infringement liability in e-commerce

The Secondary Trademark Infringement Liability in the E-Commerce Setting notice requests stakeholder input on changing how secondary infringement liability standards are applied to e-commerce platforms.

Your feedback will help the USPTO make recommendations to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on ways to address the problems of online counterfeiting. Comments close on December 28, 2020.

National consumer awareness campaign on counterfeiting

The Development of a National Consumer Awareness Campaign on Combating the Trafficking in Counterfeit and Pirated Products notice seeks information from stakeholders on developing a national consumer awareness campaign between public and private sectors to educate consumers about the risks of counterfeit and pirated goods.

Your feedback will help the USPTO make recommendations to the DHS about developing the national consumer awareness campaign. Comments close on January 4, 2021.

Director Andrei Iancu addresses National Association of Manufacturers on combating counterfeit products

Andrei Iancu, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, today called on consumers to fight against counterfeit products. He did so in an address to the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) as they released their anti-counterfeiting white paper.

“When we fight counterfeiting, we have to look at both sides—supply and demand,” declared Director Iancu. “And on both fronts, we have the strong support of the entire Administration.”

“A creative, collaborative, and ambitious public-private partnership can harness the particular strengths and reach of the partners undertaking this important work,” continued Director Iancu. “Working together—industry and government in a systemic and sustained manner—we can make a real difference.”

Director Iancu was joined by U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Bob Menendez (D-NJ) at the webinar-based NAM event, which also featured the high-profile release of their white paper entitled, “Countering Counterfeits: The Real Threat of Fake Products.”

NAM is the largest industrial trade association in the United States, with more than 14,000 member companies across all 50 states.

Read Director Iancu’s full remarks on the USPTO website.

Attend a free forum on brand protection and anti-counterfeiting strategies

If you are interested in learning brand protection and anti-counterfeiting strategies, join us for a free, full-day conference on June 6 at the USPTO headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia. Experts from the government and private sector will take an in-depth look at effectively combating counterfeit goods and strengthening your brand.

Unable to attend in person? The event will also be webcast.

Agenda, livestream, and registration information are available on our event page of the USPTO website.

Attend a free forum on brand protection and anti-counterfeiting strategies

If you are interested in learning brand protection and anti-counterfeiting strategies, join us for a free, full-day conference on June 6 at the USPTO headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia. Experts from the government and private sector will take an in-depth look at effectively combating counterfeit goods and strengthening your brand.

Unable to attend in person? The event will also be webcast.

Agenda, livestream, and registration information are available on our event page of the USPTO website.

Anti-Counterfeiting Video Contest

Counterfeit products hurt American businesses and consumers. We need you to help us combat fakes and educate consumers by creating a 30- to 60-second video showing the harmful effects of counterfeit products and the need to stop them at home and abroad.

Need some inspiration to get started? Read "The Basics of Counterfeit Goods" to learn about dangerous counterfeits and how to identify them.

For detailed information on the contest timeline, how to enter the contest, the prizes and judging criteria, please visit the USPTO website:
https://www.uspto.gov/trademark/trademark-updates-and-announcements/anti-counterfeiting-video-contest?utm_campaign=subscriptioncenter&utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term=