IACC President and Commanding General of Italy's Guardia di Finanza Discuss Collaboration on European Training App
Commanding General Giuseppe Zafarana of the Guardia di Finanza (GdF) and IACC President Bob Barchiesi held an official meeting at GdF Headquarters in Rome on March 17th, to fortify their partnership and discuss tactics to advance the fight against counterfeiting.
This was followed by a presentation to their executive leadership at the GdF Operations Center on a European version of the IACC’s Law Enforcement Training App.
Michael Walsh, V.P. of Administration & Training’s presentation, included a hands-on demonstration with commanders downloading the prototype to their own smartphones.
Lieutenant General Giuseppe Vicanolo, Second in Command and Major General Cosimo Di Gesu, Commander of Intelligence and International Relations led the GdF hierarchy in a well received discussion on this latest collaborative effort between law enforcement and private industry.
How can GdF help brands in the fight against IP crime?
The Corps is able to carry out an effective action against counterfeiting and large scale international trafficking, thanks to the specific competence of the operational units, which use powerful investigative and suppression instruments.
The purpose is not only to detect illegal products, but also, and most of all, to break the roots of the counterfeiting chain, by targeting the supply, production and distribution components, as well as to detect the financing sources and profits of criminal organizations. Moreover, the Corps' Departments are able to counter all the illegal activities connected to the production and marketing of counterfeit goods, such as tax and duty evasion, exploitation of workers, fraud in public supply, illegal immigration and money laundering.
How can brands better engage with GdF? What can they do to help?
Since 2014, Guardia di Finanza has been managing the “Sistema Informativo Anticontraffazione (S.I.A.C.)” (Anti-counterfeiting Information System), a telematic platform, which allows owners of industrial and intellectual property rights to actively collaborate by sending information on their products which are usually counterfeited (images, technical data sheets, expert reports, technical advice, etc.), for ready consultation by the units operating in the field.
The platform also includes a website with the updated measures taken by the competent institutions, making available indications and practical advice to avoid buying counterfeit or dangerous products.
Why do you think public and private collaboration is important in the fight against IP crime?
Preventing and combating the phenomenon of counterfeiting requires a synergic commitment by all the actors involved, such as public authorities, police forces, productive forces and consumers, both at national and international level.
It is essential to “work as a system”, that is, to create a shared platform of information, knowledge and professionalism.
In this regard, it is important for the Corps to have at its disposal the informative contributions, among others, of trade associations and industrial districts, which, as part of their assistance, information and orientation activities for companies, are able to detect, in real time, the symptoms of illegality in the territory.
Who has inspired you most in life?
In my life I have been inspired by the example of my parents; they passed on to me that system of values, including respect for others, sense of duty and love for Justice, which every day guides me in my personal and professional choices.
What hobbies or causes are you passionate about?
I am passionate about sports and in particular soccer. Indeed, I follow the national championship and international competitions and I find particularly involving the competitions where the Italian national team plays. I go footing, trekking and I go to the gym.
IACC Annual Conference
We are excited to welcome over 500 attendees to our Annual Conference in Washington, DC from April 27th - 29th! This is our first in-person conference since 2019 and we have a great agenda planned with lots of learning and networking opportunities! View our conference page for up-to-date information.
IACC Publishes 2021 Year in Review
The IACC Year in Review highlights our activities and successes in 2021 and provides an outline of our 2022 activities.
The IACC continued its virtual CBP training program with a three-day series of instruction for the Port of Chicago. Over 55 brands from the Personal Care, Apparel & Footwear, Pharmaceuticals, Health & Safety, Electronics/Software/Hardware and Consumer Mass Marketing categories presented their materials to over 230 CBP Officers and Import Specialists from numerous area ports including the Mail Branch and Cargo Center at O’Hare, agents from Homeland Security Investigations, officials from the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Food and Drug Administration.
Advertisement opportunities in our newsletter are available. Please contact Dawn Sgarlata at dsgarlata@iacc.org. Ads are limited to IACC members.
Legislative Updates
Pending legislation we're monitoring on a continued basis
America COMPETES / U.S. Innovation & Competition Act
Last June, the Senate passed its U.S. Innovation & Competition Act, a wide-ranging bill, spanning over 2,000 pages, aimed at improving American competitiveness in the global marketplace. The House opted to pursue legislation of its own rather than take up the Senate bill – and not to be outdone by their counterparts from the other chamber, passed their own 3,600 page America COMPETES Act in early-February. The Senate brought the America COMPETES Act to a vote in late-March, substituting its own USICA text as an amendment, as a final procedural step before proceeding to a Conference Committee to negotiate a compromise on the competing bills.
The conference process will be of particular interest to IACC members, as it will ultimately determine whether a number of provisions that were included in one (but not both chambers’) bill are incorporated in the final legislative package. Among these are:
the SHOP SAFE Act – (Stopping Harmful Offers on Platforms by Screening Against Fakes in E-commerce Act (HR 5374)) which would amend the Lanham Act to provide for contributory liability of e-commerce platforms for third-party sales of counterfeit goods, unless the platforms adopted certain enumerated best practices provided by the bill;
the INFORM Consumers Act – (Integrity, Notification, and Fairness in Online Retail Marketplaces for Consumers Act (HR 5502)) which would impose requirements on e-commerce platform operators requiring the verification and disclosure of the identities of high-volume sellers operating on the relevant platforms, and vest enforcement authority with the Federal Trade Commission; and
S. 1159 – Senator Grassley’s legislation to expand CBP’s authority with respect to they type of information the agency can share with rights-holders and other parties in pursuing its IP enforcement mission at the border.
The IACC recently joined over 100 other organizations in signing a letter to the conferees supporting the inclusion of both the SHOP SAFE and INFORM Consumers language that previously passed in the House. We are also in the process of preparing a similar letter of support for the S. 1159 provisions that were adopted in the Senate-passed USICA bill.
Kathi Vidal Confirmed as USPTO Director
On April 5th, the Senate confirmed President Biden’s nominee, Kathi Vidal, as Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Vidal was sworn in a little over a week later. The IACC joined a recent Digital Creators Coalition letter congratulating Under Secretary Vidal on her confirmation, and highlighting the contributions of the creative sector to the U.S. economy, and the importance of strong IP protection both here and globally.
IACC Urges President Biden to Nominate IP Enforcement Coordinator
On Friday, April 8th, the IACC, along with six partner associations, sent a letter to President Biden requesting the prompt appointment of his administration’s IPEC – the final IP leadership role within the Executive Office of the President that remains to be filled. The IACC has historically maintained positive relationships with the office, and has welcomed its high-level support for our initiatives. We believe that the IPEC can play a crucial role in developing and implementing administration priorities related to IP, and we look forward to the announcement of an appointment.
The IACC is proud to serve as a voice for rights-holders, and we look forward to continuing our work on your behalf in the coming year. If you’d like to contribute to our efforts, please contact Travis Johnson (tjohnson@iacc.org) for further information.
IP Resources from Our Members
The IACC's membership includes a broad range of IP enforcement expertise around the world. We are excited to include this Resource Section in our Quarterly Newsletter where we share interesting insights, research studies, white papers and other thought pieces from our members with our IP community. If you are a member and would like to submit relevant material to be included in our next newsletter, please contact Dawn Sgarlata at dsgarlata@iacc.org.
Disclaimer: The IACC is providing these links as a courtesy to our members; the IACC has not independently verified any claims or assertions contained therein. Further, the views expressed in each of the linked resources are those of the respective authors, and their inclusion should not be interpreted as an endorsement by the IACC.
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