Anti-counterfeiting bill introduced in House
This article was originally published in The Rose Sheet
Executive Summary
A bi-partisan bill that would provide additional anti-counterfeiting tools to law enforcement has been introduced in the House of Representatives, bill's sponsors announce Dec. 5. Co-sponsored by Reps John Conyers, D-Mich., and Lamar Smith, R-Texas, the legislation strengthens the civil and criminal laws relating to copyright and trademark infringement, establishes the Office of the U.S. Intellectual Property Enforcement Representative, provides for the appointment of intellectual property officers to work with foreign countries to combat counterfeiting, authorizes the creation of an IP division in the Justice Department and gives the Justice Department additional resources to improve IP law enforcement. Sponsors of the bill estimate lost sales and jobs associated with counterfeiting and piracy in the U.S. reach $200 bil.-$250 bil. per year, with global impact around $600 bil. annually...