Hatch, Wyden Call for Information to Educate Americans on Dangers of Counterfeit Goods

Letters Follow Finance Committee Hearing and GAO Report on Protecting E-Commerce Consumers from Counterfeits

WASHINGTON – Following the Senate Finance Committee’s hearing on protecting e-commerce consumers from counterfeits, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) today called on rights holder trade associations, online retailers, shipping companies and payment processors to share information to help the committee better inform American consumers of the dangers of counterfeit goods, as well as curtail the illegal sale of counterfeits through e-commerce sites.

“As part of our ongoing work, we write today to request information from your company on the types of activities you participate in, facilitate, or otherwise have knowledge of to help us better inform American consumers of the dangers of counterfeit goods as well as to curtail the illegal sale of counterfeits through e-commerce sites,” Hatch and Wyden wrote in a letter. “Through this endeavor, we hope to learn more about your organization’s experience with counterfeit goods and to collect information on ways in which organizations can better protect consumers from such goods in the future. The information we receive will be used to help inform a public report.”

On March 6, 2018, Hatch and Wyden convened a hearing to examine how to better protect American consumers by enforcing intellectual property rights and preventing imports of illegal counterfeits at the border. The hearing follows the release of a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report Hatch requested that found that difficulties with detection of counterfeit goods pose significant health and safety dangers to consumers.

Click here to read the letter to rights holder trade associations.

Click here to read the letter to online retailers.

Click here to read the letter to shipping companies.

Click here to read the letter to payment processors.

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