MEMA, the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Assn., in a news release this week praised the U.S. House of Representatives for its unanimous passage of H.R. 32

, the "Stop Counterfeiting in Manufactured Goods Act."
According to MEMA, the bill was introduced by Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R-Mich.) at the beginning of the 109th Congress with MEMA support. Attention now turns to the Senate Judiciary Committee to act.
"First and foremost, product counterfeiting undermines U.S. and foreign safety standards, putting consumers at risk," said Paul Foley, president of MEMA's Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Assn. and executive director of MEMA's Brand Protection Council. "Fake, poor quality brakes, brake fluid, tires, headlights and other safety-related parts and components have been found for sale. Counterfeiting is a crime that is stealing good American manufacturing jobs and hurting the brand image of legitimate manufacturers that play by the rules."
The FBI estimates that product counterfeiting costs U.S. businesses $200 billion to $250 billion annually. Product counterfeiting is estimated to cost American automotive suppliers approximately $12 billion in lost sales annually.
H.R. 32 amends the U.S. criminal code to provide trademark owners with the same protection now afforded to holders of copyrights and trade secrets. H.R. 32 mandates both the destruction of the counterfeit goods and the forfeiture of any assets traceable to illegal counterfeiting activities. It will also permit the courts to order the forfeiture of any property/equipment used to aid in the commission of the violation, such as tooling, raw materials and packaging supplies. The bill also prohibits trafficking in counterfeit labels, patches, stickers, hangtags, or medallions.
For more information, go to www.mema.org.