Usa: Bush signs the Stop Counterfeiting in Manufactured Goods Act

On March 16, Usa's President Bush signed The Stop Counterfeiting In Manufactured Goods Act. This legislation helps protect the rights of America's consumers, workers, and entrepreneurs by strengthening laws against counterfeit labels and packaging; by strengthening penalties for counterfeiters; and by giving prosecutors new tools to stop those who defraud American consumers.

In recent years, the problem of counterfeiting has grown rapidly. Counterfeiting costs America hundreds of billions of dollars a year and has harmful effects throughout the economy. Fake products can expose consumers to serious health and safety risks.

The Stop Counterfeiting In Manufactured Goods Act:
- strengthens laws against trading counterfeit labels and packaging. While it was already illegal to manufacture, ship, or sell counterfeit products, this legislation closes a loophole allowing the shipment of falsified labels or packaging, which counterfeiters could then attach to fake products in order to cheat consumers by passing off poorly made items as brand-name goods;
- strengthens penalties for counterfeiters and gives prosecutors new tools. This bill requires courts to order the destruction of all counterfeit products seized as part of a criminal investigation and requires convicted counterfeiters to turn over their profits and any equipment used in their operations. This bill requires those convicted of counterfeiting to reimburse the legitimate businesses they exploited.

The administration is also leading a bold initiative called STOP - Strategy Targeting Organized Piracy. Nine Federal agencies are coming together - including the Department of Justice. Attorneys' offices nationwide have been expanded, and specially trained prosecutors and FBI agents are being posted at American embassies in Asia and Eastern Europe.

(Source: U.S. Mission to Italy)