Chamber Applauds U.S. Government Outreach to Counter Trade in Fakes

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The United States Chamber of Commerce applauded the federal trade delegation leaving this week for Asia, warning that without concerted enforcement action counterfeiting and piracy will only get worse.

"The rising occurrence of dangerous counterfeit and pirated products finding their way into our international supply chain must be stopped," said Brad Huther, director of the Chamber's anti-counterfeiting and piracy initiative. "Counterfeit products have cost U.S. workers jobs and even caused injury and death to American consumers. If nothing is done, global counterfeiting and piracy will reach $700 billion in the next few years."

The World Customs Organization and Interpol estimate that the annual global trade in illegitimate goods has increased from $5.5 billion in 1982 to roughly $600 billion today and it continues to grow. There is strong evidence to suggest that organized criminal groups and terrorist organizations are involved in counterfeiting and piracy schemes.

A delegation of U.S. government officials from the Commerce Department, the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security will visit Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan and Korea to improve international coordination and enforcement efforts. The federal government is partnering with U.S. trading partners to eliminate global piracy and counterfeiting.

"The U.S. Chamber recognizes the importance of the U.S. government working with the private sector at home and abroad," said Myron Brilliant, vice president, Asia. "The problem of counterfeiting and piracy is not just a U.S. problem, it's a global problem.

The U.S. Chamber recently launched a comprehensive effort to combat global intellectual property theft by urging U.S. lawmakers to strengthen anti-counterfeiting laws, increase enforcement efforts, and by working with international allies to focus attention on global threats to legitimate products.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world's largest business federation representing more than three million businesses and organizations of every size, sector and region.