Toy Association Continues to Support Counterfeit-Fighting Legislation

The following article includes information from a press release issued by Congresswoman Jan Schkowsky’s office on September 1, 2020.

September 8, 2020 | Last week, Congress introduced the Consumer Product Safety Inspection Enhancement Act, a bipartisan bill that would direct the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to prioritize resources toward identifying violative, unsafe consumer products entering the U.S. under the de minimis value exemption (shipments valued at $800 or less).

Introduced on September 1 by Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and Congressman Jeff Duncan (R-SC), the bill will also instruct the agency to collect data and direct its resources and staff to risk assess, target, and screen de minimis shipments, which it does not currently do.

“The Toy Association has long been supportive of government initiatives to improve the targeting and screening of consumer products at ports of entry and the seizure of infringing goods,” said Steve Pasierb, president & CEO of The Toy Association. “The de minimis exemption cannot be an exemption from regulatory compliance; yet the sheer number of small parcel shipments entering the country has resulted in massive challenges to effective enforcement at the borders. That said, The Toy Association strongly believes that enhanced targeting and enforcement must come with additional resources for the already underfunded – yet critically important – CPSC.”

This is yet another step in The Toy Association’s ongoing efforts to protect its members and raise awareness of the dangers posed by counterfeit toys. The announcement comes one week out from the Association’s Virtual Intellectual Property (IP) Fly-In, which will provide an exclusive opportunity for manufacturer and licensor members to meet with policymakers to discuss the industry’s key concerns about the prevalence of unsafe, counterfeit toys in the marketplace.

Members who wish to learn more about The Toy Association’s work to combat counterfeits can contact Rebecca Mond, vice president of federal government affairs.