Resolution Looks to Designate July as National Anti-Counterfeiting Consumer Education & Awareness Month

Toy Association Pushes for More Legislative Action to Fight Dangers of Counterfeit Toys

July 28, 2022 | The Senate introduced a new bipartisan resolution on July 20 to designate July as National Anti-Counterfeiting Consumer Education and Awareness Month. The resolution, which aligns with The Toy Association’s advocacy to protect consumers from the dangers of counterfeit toys sold online, recognizes the importance of trademarks in the economy and the role they have in protecting consumer safety. The full text of the resolution can be found here.

“This is a welcome introduction that we hope will help raise additional awareness of the growing threat counterfeits pose to consumers and the responsible toy businesses that adhere to the 100+ safety standards set by the federal government,” said Jennifer Gibbons, senior vice president of government affairs at The Toy Association. “The Toy Association continues to work tirelessly on consumer education and outreach related to the dangers of counterfeits and sharing tips to help consumers protect themselves from purchasing illicit products.”

The Toy Association is a dedicated advocate for federal regulations to combat the sale of counterfeit and illicit goods. In addition to working with congressional officials to drive support of IP protection bills like the INFORM Consumers Act and SHOP SAFE Act that incorporate recommendations from The Toy Association’s 2020 IP white paper, the Association has testified before the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), urging the Commission to seek additional funding to address oversight on dangerous counterfeit products coming into the U.S., and collaborated with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and other agencies on anti-counterfeiting measures to reduce the number of fake toys entering the country. The Toy Association also spoke at a U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) annual press conference last November to highlight the dangers of counterfeits.

The Toy Association advocated for the inclusion of provisions to combat counterfeits online, as well as address tariffs and supply chain improvements, in the China competitiveness legislative package (USICA/America Competes) that was being considered by Congress. Unfortunately, congressional leaders opted not to take action on most of the provisions in the package before their August recess. The Toy Association is now continuing to work with coalition partners to push for the counterfeit and trade measures to be added to another legislative vehicle or passed as standalone bills later this year.

For more information on The Toy Association’s advocacy work on counterfeits and IP protection, visit thetoyassociation.org/advocacy. Toy Association members who wish to join in our advocacy efforts are encouraged to reach out to The Toy Association’s Jennifer Gibbons for more information.