Trade in counterfeit products is considered a high-risk area that threatens America’s innovation economy, the competitiveness of businesses, and the livelihoods of US workers. Credit: Shutterstock.

The group, which includes the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA), outlines immediate considerations related to counterfeit goods for the first 100 days of US president-elect Trump’s Administration. Trade in counterfeit products is considered a high-risk area that threatens the US’s innovation economy, the competitiveness of businesses, and the livelihoods of US workers. In some cases, it also poses risks to national security and the health and safety of consumers.

The signatories applaud previous Trump Administration actions, including the 2019 Memorandum on Combating Trafficking in Counterfeit and Pirated Goods which resulted in the interagency report issued by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), developed because “…illicit activity impacts American innovation and erodes the competitiveness of US manufacturers and workers.” 

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Among its recommendations to establish a strong foundation for IP protection, the letter says the Administration should:

Nominate and support the confirmation of critical administration positions key to protecting and enforcing intellectual property (IP) rights such as:

  • An Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator (IPEC) to oversee and coordinate IP enforcement actions and policies across the administration
  • An Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to protect IP and drive innovative digital policies for creators and innovators.
  • The Commissioner for US Customs and Border Protection has already been nominated. CBP has designated the protection of IP rights as a Priority Trade Issue (PTI).

Convene an interagency working group to fight against illicit trade, protect IP, and eradicate counterfeits to combat the trafficking of counterfeits and other infringing products within the first 100 days to connect (at least quarterly) with stakeholders.

Resume steps to implement recommended actions outlined in the 2020 DHS report on Combating Trafficking in Counterfeit and Pirated Goods.

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Evaluate actions for holistic counterfeit prevention with Executive Orders, Regulation, and/or needed Policy Changes.

Support passage of the SHOP SAFE Act as introduced [H.R.8684 / S. 2934] in the 118th Congress to incentivise e-commerce platforms to improve their systems to detect and prevent the sale of counterfeit products. 

Last month (December 2024) it was revealed US apparel shipments had increased for the top 10 biggest suppliers in October due to sourcing executives trying to get ahead of Trump tariffs.

However Mexico fell out of the top 10 after seeing its shipments slide 10% with Trump’s latest threats suggesting it could also be hit with duties.