Washington, DC –United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer today issued the following statement on President Donald J. Trump’s Executive Order on protecting consumers, intellectual property rights holders, businesses, and workers from counterfeit goods:

“The trafficking of counterfeit and pirated goods is a scourge that causes significant harm to our workers, consumers, intellectual property owners, and economy. Under President Trump’s leadership, the federal government and industry partners are working together to combat illicit trade. In addition, President Trump has ensured that intellectual property protection and enforcement against pirated and counterfeit goods are a priority in America’s trade relationships. For example, the USMCA sets the highest standards of any U.S. trade agreement for strong, effective protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights. Similarly, the U.S.-China Phase One agreement includes strong intellectual property protections and effective action against pirated and counterfeit goods.

“The Trump Administration is continuing to show strong leadership in stopping those who steal American intellectual property and seek to profit off of counterfeit products. I commend Acting Secretary Wolf and his staff at the Department of Homeland Security for their important report that highlights the extent of this problem and sets forth an action plan to address it.”

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