Reporting & Information
To report IP theft or to learn more about the IPR Center, visit IPRCenter.gov.
HSI-led National IPR Center, International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition join forces to stop counterfeits goods around the world
WASHINGTON – Today, the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center) announced a formal partnership with the International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition (IACC) to protect legitimate manufacturers, retailers and consumers, across every sector of the global economy, by preventing illegal counterfeit goods from entering the United States. Derek N. Benner, Executive Associate Director for Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), a division of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement which oversees the IPR Center, and Bob Barchiesi, IACC President, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) during a virtual ceremony.
The IPR Center’s partnership with IACC provides a framework to enhance investigative efforts into intellectual property crime through joint events, law enforcement training, community outreach and information sharing.
“HSI is eager to formalize the IPR Center’s partnership with IACC. This agreement will not only serve to expand networks to combat intellectual property crime, but, develop joint initiatives to educate stakeholders,” said Derek N. Benner, executive associate director for HSI. “HSI and the IACC share a common belief that counterfeiting poses a severe risk to public health and safety and is a danger to our economy. This convergence of goals, combined with the IACC’s large and diverse membership, allows us to enhance our protection and education of consumers about the dangers of counterfeit goods.”
“Fakes kill jobs, innovation and people. Only by working together can we protect consumers and businesses, especially entrepreneurs, from the dangers of counterfeiting and piracy. We have partnered with the HSI and the IPR Center for many years and it is an honor to cement our collaboration through this MoU,” said Bob Barchiesi, IACC president. “I commend Derek Benner’s leadership and the efforts of his team for their innovative and tireless efforts working with the IACC and private sector to keep American businesses and consumers safe. I look forward to growing our partnership in the years to come.”
Counterfeits are often made with substandard and dangerous components, posing a serious health and safety risk for consumers. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the international trade in counterfeit and pirated goods represented up to 3.3% of world trade or $509 billion as of 2016. In 2019, U.S Customs and Border Protection made more than 27,000 seizures with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price valued at more than $1.5 billion.
The IPR Center, working collaboratively with its public and private sector partners, stands at the forefront of the U.S. government's response to combatting global intellectual property theft and enforcing intellectual properties rights violations. The IPR Center was established to combat global intellectual property theft – and, accordingly, has a significant role policing the sale and distribution of counterfeit goods on websites, social media and the dark web. To report IP theft or to learn more about the IPR Center, visit www.IPRCenter.gov.
The IACC (www.iacc.org) is a Washington, DC-based not-for-profit organization representing the interests of companies concerned with trademark counterfeiting and intellectual property theft. The IACC membership include many of the world’s best-known brands across all product sectors. The IACC has played a leading role in the development of cross-industry voluntary agreements, to address the illicit trafficking of counterfeit and pirated goods online, including its IACC MarketSafe® and RogueBlock® initiatives.
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