ENFORCEMENT
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Office of the Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator<br />
6. Enhance Customs Recordation Systems and<br />
Public-Private Collaboration on Information<br />
Collection.<br />
One of the unique aspects of combating trade in<br />
counterfeit and pirated goods is that it requires close<br />
partnership and coordination with the private sector<br />
whose rights are exploited to the detriment of the affected<br />
businesses, consumers, and national interests alike.<br />
Customs enforcement officials rely on product<br />
information data to identify illicit merchandise shipped<br />
into the United States. Without thorough, accurate, and<br />
appropriately submitted product information, officers<br />
examining incoming containers cannot effectively<br />
differentiate genuine articles from counterfeits. CBP<br />
prioritizes enforcement of IP that has been recorded<br />
through the Intellectual Property Rights e-Recordation<br />
(IPRR) application (FIG. 50), which is done after<br />
they have been registered with the U.S. Patent and<br />
Trademark Office (USPTO) or the U.S. Copyright Office. 14<br />
The information submitted by the rights holder through<br />
the e-recordation process is one of the most valuable<br />
tools CBP has for making infringement determinations.<br />
With today’s voluminous and fast-moving global<br />
trade, it is important that law enforcement continue to<br />
enhance its means of foiling ever-changing illicit trade<br />
practices. Federal law enforcement will never be able to<br />
seize its way out of the problem alone. Rather, effective<br />
IP enforcement must include tools and resources to<br />
identify and interdict counterfeit and pirated goods,<br />
and investigate and prosecute those who traffic in<br />
them. The need for industry support has evolved<br />
from strictly aiding in infringement determinations to<br />
serving as tactical partners alongside Federal agencies.<br />
Working in partnership with the private sector, Federal<br />
law enforcement officials are able to leverage industry<br />
knowledge and expertise to improve enforcement efforts.<br />
No one knows how a product is being imitated<br />
better than the rights holder. Industry has access to<br />
established platforms for sharing this intelligence with<br />
Federal law enforcement. 15 Collaborating and sharing<br />
appropriate information with industry stakeholders gives<br />
law enforcement a more complete picture of the trade<br />
environment. Leveraging data from additional sources<br />
leads to more comprehensive risk profiles, better<br />
risk segmentation, and more actionable intelligence.<br />
Furthermore, the intelligence gained allows agencies<br />
like CBP and ICE to better utilize targeting capabilities,<br />
detect bad actors earlier in the supply chain, respond<br />
to risks on a real-time basis, and anticipate new threats<br />
before they fully emerge.<br />
CBP’s online IPRR recordation application invites,<br />
though it does not require, trademark and copyright<br />
FIG. 50: Intellectual Property Rights e-Recordation (IPRR) Application<br />
SECTION 3<br />
101