美国海关在边境创造更有效的知识产权保护(普12)

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美国海关边防局（以下简称 “海关”）有权在海关登记备案已经联邦政府注册的商
标和版权，用来帮助制止未经授权的进口。多年来，我们发现这是一个对我们客户
非常有收效的知识产权维权工具：美国政府的执法机构在美国边境会积极地帮助监
控你的知识产权。海关登记备案仅限于已经注册的商标和版权（而并不适用于专利）。
在美国海关登记备案的商标和版权名录可在此查阅：http://iprs.cbp.gov/

美国海关刚刚宣布一项海关内联网的新功能。如果你的产品或包装有某些具体特征，
可以帮助识别并区别于有可能侵权的产品，你应该给海关提交一份你的《产品识别
指南》。海关最近给我们有关该《指南》的通知中提到了下列规则和注意事项，重
要的是指南里不能提供法律意见，并不能直接对冠名的“侵权者”提出制裁要求。


(原文择要) ：知识产权权利人如果直接引用法律法规或提出立即制裁要求者，有可
能会被禁止将来参与港口培训。

所以在准备提交《产品识别指南》给美国海关时，你应当寻求必要的帮助。

又我们与海关查讯后，特别提出以下几点事项：

1。  海关希望《指南》以 .PDF格式提交。之后，《指南》会由海关总署审核，然
后输入到IPRiS内联网，并由海关进出口专员在各个美国入境口岸使用。

2。  如果产品或包装更新，备案者可以在任何时候修改备案，提交新的《指南》和
新的产品营销资料。

3。  海关进出口专员只能使用已经放在IPRiS上的《指南》。

4。  如果海关备案持有人不提供《产品识别指南》给海关，海关会继续按已经备案
登记的内容监控你的知识产权。但是，有《指南》案件将给海关的监控工作提供大
大的帮助。

5。  所谓“港口培训”其实是指你可以要求亲自到就近的港口与海关进出口专员面
谈，教海关如何识别你的产品。但是，必须注意的是千万不要直接引用法律法规与
海关专员辩论或提出要求对某侵权人进行制裁。

6。 美国海关的现行政策是，提出侵权指控应当谨慎，他们不希望看到没有证据的
赤裸指控。海关也有一个可以在网上直接提交知识产权侵权指控的表格（仅限于已
经在海关登记备案的版权和商标）。该网页为:

https://apps.cbp.gov/eallegations/allegations.asp

下文为海关通告原文：

From: BRABANT, GARY D [mailto:gary.brabant@dhs.gov]
Sent: Wednesday, March 09, 2011 10:55 AM
Subject: Product Identification Guides

This email is to thank you for recording your registered trademark(s) and/or copyright(s) with Customs & Border Protection (CBP).  Some rights owners have already taken advantage of a recently added function to CBP’s Intranet, and provided their Product Identification Guides to CBP for upload to our Intellectual Property Rights internal Search system (IPRiS).  Rights owners who have recorded their copyright(s) and/or trademark(s) with CBP but have not submitted their product identification guides should seriously consider doing so.  Submission of the product guide helps us with quicker response for authentication, and for protecting producers and consumers against the health and safety risks associated with fake commodities that work their way into supply chains.  The job of authenticating products and identifying counterfeit and pirated merchandise at US ports of entry is a difficult task, and these guides are another tool providing assistance to CBP Officers and Import Specialists in the fight against counterfeit and piratical goods.  

We would like to take this opportunity to invite you and your company to submit a Product Identification Guide so that CBP can maintain a secure central repository of information that CBP Officers and Import Specialists can use for product authentication throughout the U.S. and at ports of entry. When you create a Product Identification Guide, please see below for general guidelines and incorporation of a required disclaimer.  Once this process is completed, we will review your Guide for accuracy, and after approval, it will be posted to our secure intranet.

For any additional assistance or questions, please contact one of our International Trade Specialists, Mr. Gary Brabant, gary.d.brabant@dhs.gov , tel: 202-863-6603; or Mr. Marty Canner, martin.canner@dhs.gov , tel: 202-863-6612. 

IPR PRODUCT IDENTIFICATION GUIDES: GUIDELINES

The following guidelines are provided to clarify current CBP policy related to product identification training:

• Product identification training materials from IPR holders should neither address CBP legal authority nor offer legal opinions concerning the course of action that CBP officers should take in any particular situation.
• CBP need not have made an actual determination that a suspect product is “counterfeit” and “piratical” in order for IPR holders to use these terms in their training materials.  However, when developing their training materials, IPR holders are encouraged to use terms such as “suspect” or “allegedly infringing” rather than “counterfeit” or “piratical,” where possible.
• IPR holders shall not instruct CBP officers and import specialists, either verbally or in writing, to examine, detain, or seize goods for IPR violations.
• Field offices and/or ports may exercise discretion when considering any offer of training from IPR holders.  Impact on port operations, such as staffing issues, should always be considered.
• Training is to be declined if an IPR holder has not recorded their rights with CBP.
• IPR holders that address legal authorities or direct action may be barred from future port training.
• A copy of the disclaimer statement (below) is required to be attached to each copy of the product identification training materials before the materials are disseminated to field personnel. 

DISCLAIMER

The opinions expressed herein are those of the right owner and do not necessarily reflect the position of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).  Decisions as to whether or not merchandise should be detained or seized for infringing protected intellectual property rights are to be made in accordance with established procedures by CBP personnel at the appropriate management level of the concerned field office.  CBP personnel who have questions arising from this product identification training material or manual should call the IPR Helpdesk at 562-980-3119, ext. 252, or the IPR and Restricted Merchandise Branch, Regulations and Rulings at (202) 325-0020.

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