97-10272. Disposition of Excluded Articles Pursuant to the Anticounterfeiting Consumer Protection Act  

  • [Federal Register Volume 62, Number 77 (Tuesday, April 22, 1997)]
    [Rules and Regulations]
    [Pages 19492-19493]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 97-10272]
    
    
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    DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
    
    Custons Service
    
    19 CFR Part 133
    
    [T.D. 97-30]
    RIN 1515-AC09
    
    
    Disposition of Excluded Articles Pursuant to the 
    Anticounterfeiting Consumer Protection Act
    
    AGENCY: Customs Service, Treasury.
    
    ACTION: Final rule.
    
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    SUMMARY: This document amends the Customs Regulations to implement 
    section 8 of the Anticounterfeiting Consumer Protection Act of 1996 
    (ACPA), which was enacted by Congress to protect consumers and American 
    businesses from counterfeit copyrighted and trademarked products. 
    Section 8 of the ACPA concerns the disposition of excluded articles and 
    eliminates a statutory provision that allowed infringing imported goods 
    to be returned to the country of export whenever it is shown that the 
    importer had no reasonable grounds for believing his or her acts 
    constituted a violation of law. The statutory amendment now requires 
    government officials to destroy such goods. The regulatory change 
    reflects the statutory amendment and is designed to help Customs fight 
    counterfeiting more effectively.
    
    EFFECTIVE DATE: May 22, 1997.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Atwood, Intellectual Property 
    Rights Branch, Office of Regulations and Rulings, (202) 482-6960.
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    
    Background
    
        Finding that counterfeit products cost American businesses an 
    estimated $200 billion each year worldwide, Congress enacted the 
    Anticounterfeiting Consumer Protection Act of 1996 (ACPA) to make sure 
    that Federal law adequately addresses the scope and sophistication of 
    modern counterfeiting. The provisions of the ACPA are designed to 
    provide important weapons in the fight against counterfeiters. On July 
    2, 1996, the President signed the ACPA into law (Pub.L. 104-153, 110 
    Stat. 1386).
        The ACPA contains 13 substantive sections, which will be 
    implemented in several Federal Register documents. This document 
    concerns section 8 of the ACPA, which amends title 17 of the United 
    States Code (17 U.S.C. 603(c)), which concerns the enforcement of anti-
    counterfeiting laws and disposition of excluded articles. The amendment 
    of section 603(c) removes a provision that allowed infringing imported 
    goods to be returned to the country of export whenever it is shown that 
    the importer had no reasonable grounds for believing his or her acts 
    constituted a violation of law. By eliminating this provision in 
    section 603(c), government officials are now required to destroy such 
    goods.
        The provisions of section 603(c) are provided for at 
    Secs. 133.42(c), 133.44(a), and 133.47 of the Customs Regulations (19 
    CFR 133.42(c), 133.44(a), and 133.47). Accordingly, these regulatory 
    provisions are amended by removing the language which allows for the 
    return of seized infringing merchandise to the importer or country of 
    export.
    
    Inapplicability of the Regulatory Flexibility Act, And Executive Order 
    12866
    
        Inasmuch as these amendments merely conform the Customs Regulations 
    to existing law as discussed
    
    [[Page 19493]]
    
    above, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), notice and public procedure are 
    unnecessary. Since this document is not subject to the notice and 
    public procedure requirements of 5 U.S.C. 553, it is not subject to the 
    provisions of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.). 
    Further, this document does not meet the criteria for a ``significant 
    regulatory action'' as specified in Executive Order 12866.
    
    List of Subjects in 19 CFR Part 133
    
        Copyrights, Counterfeit goods, Customs duties and inspection, 
    Imports, Penalties, Prohibited merchandise, Reporting and recordkeeping 
    requirements, Restricted merchandise, Seizures and forfeitures, 
    Trademarks, Trade names, Unfair competition.
    
    Amendment to the Regulations
    
        For the reasons stated above, part 133 of the Customs Regulations 
    (19 CFR part 133) is amended as set forth below:
    
    PART 133--TRADEMARKS, TRADE NAMES, AND COPYRIGHTS
    
        1. The general authority citation for part 133 continues to read as 
    follows:
    
        Authority: 17 U.S.C. 101, 601, 602, 603; 19 U.S.C. 66, 1624; 31 
    U.S.C. 9701.
    * * * * *
    
    
    Sec. 133.42  [Amended]
    
        2. In Sec. 133.42, the third sentence of paragraph (c) is amended 
    by removing the words ``, unless the article may be returned to the 
    country of export as provided in Sec. 133.47''.
    
    
    Sec. 133.44  [Amended]
    
        3. In Sec. 133.44, the first sentence of paragraph (a) is amended 
    by removing the word ``either'' and the words ``or, if the conditions 
    prescribed by Sec. 133.47 are met, permit the importer to return the 
    article to the country of export''. In the last sentence, the words 
    ``In either event, the'' are removed and the word ``The'' is added in 
    their place.
    
    
    Sec. 133.47  [Removed]
    
        4. Section 133.47 is removed.
    Samuel H. Banks,
    Acting Commissioner of Customs.
    
        Approved: March 24, 1997.
    John P. Simpson,
    Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Treasury.
    [FR Doc. 97-10272 Filed 4-21-97; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 4820-02-P
    
    
    

Document Information

Published:
04/22/1997
Department:
Customs Service
Entry Type:
Rule
Action:
Final rule.
Document Number:
97-10272
Dates:
May 22, 1997.
Pages:
19492-19493 (2 pages)
Docket Numbers:
T.D. 97-30
RINs:
1515-AC09: Disposition of Excluded Articles Pursuant to the Anticounterfeiting Consumer Protection Act
RIN Links:
https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/1515-AC09/disposition-of-excluded-articles-pursuant-to-the-anticounterfeiting-consumer-protection-act
PDF File:
97-10272.pdf
CFR: (3)
19 CFR 133.42
19 CFR 133.44
19 CFR 133.47