DID EPSON CORP LOBBY GEORGE W. BUSH ?

[Anonymous]

U.S. president declines to modify ITC general exclusion order that bars all imports of infringing ink cartridges
(DOES GEORGE W.BUSH EVEN KNOW WHAT AN INK CARTRIDGE IS ?)
Epson Clarifies Legal Requirements for Imports and Sales of Refilled Cartridges
LONG
BEACH, United States,Wednesday, January , 2008 President George W. Bush
and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative allowed the 60-day
Presidential Review Period to expire without modifying the General
Exclusion Order by the U.S. International Trade Commission that bars
all imports of infringing cartridges. As a result, the Order is being
actively enforced by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Service.The
General Exclusion Order resulted from a complaint filed by Epson
Portland Inc., Epson America Inc., and the Seiko Epson Corp. against 24
of the largest aftermarket ink cartridge manufacturers and
distributors. Following the Commission’s review of the trial results in
which the ITC judge found that all 750 accused cartridges infringed one
or more of Epson’s 11 patents, the ITC issued a General Exclusion Order
that prohibits all imports of infringing cartridges and Cease and
Desist Orders that prohibit the Respondent companies and their
distributors from all sales of infringing cartridges. Epson has set up
a Web site at http://itc.epson.com/ with further information to help
ensure importers, distributors and retailers are not caught unaware
regarding the consequences of violating the orders and continued
infringement.The General Exclusion Order and Cease and Desist Orders do
not bar imports or resale of non-infringing cartridges, like
non-infringing refilled cartridges. Resellers should be cautious,
however, to avoid liability by noting the following legal parameters:

1. Refilling an infringing cartridge, like an infringing aftermarket cartridge, still results in another infringing cartridge.

2.
Refilled cartridges that were Epson branded cartridges must have been
first sold by Epson to consumers in the United States. A “first sale”
exception to patent law allows the resale of refilled patented devices
that were first sold in the United States by the patent holder.
Cartridges that were first sold by Epson to consumers outside the
United States and refilled by a third party still infringe Epson’s
patents. Epson officials have observed that some suppliers commingle
cartridges first sold by Epson in the United States with cartridges
first sold to consumers outside the United States in identical
packaging, so resellers cannot reliably avoid liability for patent
infringement.

3. The refilling process must be limited to
legally permissible repair to restore the cartridge to usable
condition, but the cartridges cannot be completely reconstructed.
Legally permissible repair includes refilling the ink, resetting the IC
chip, removing or covering Epson labels, and repackaging.

4.
Refilled cartridges must be prominently described at point of sale and
on packaging as “refilled” or “remanufactured” Any Epson trademarks
must be removed so consumers cannot be misled into believing that the
cartridges were refilled or approved by Epson.

“Epson is pleased
that U.S. Customs is now effectively enforcing the ITC Orders to
prevent unfair competition” said Elizabeth Leung, director of Consumer
Supplies, Epson America Inc. “Distributors and retailers in every
market channel can expect Epson to continue vigorous enforcement
against any infringers who try to undermine the commendable efforts of
all the resellers who compete fairly”

About Epson Portland Inc.
Epson
Portland Inc. Is the U.S.-based manufacturing subsidiary of Japan-
Epson Corporation. Historically a printer manufacturer (from its
opening day in July of 1986 until August of 2001 Epson Portland built
over 15 million printers), the company currently manufactures ink
cartridges for ink jet printers, refurbishes optical engines for LCD
projectors and performs precision injection molding of proprietary
plastic parts. Epson Portland manufactures over 35 million cartridges
annually for sale in the United States and elsewhere.

About Epson America Inc.
Epson
America is the U.S.-based marketing and service subsidiary of Seiko
Epson Corp. Epson America offers an extensive array of award-winning
image capture and image output products for the consumer, business,
photography and graphic arts market throughout North, Central and South
America. The company is also a leading supplier of value-added
point-of-sale (POS) printers and transaction terminals for the retail
market. Epson America Inc. is headquartered in Long Beach, Calif

[Author]

January 17, 2008 at 11:44 AM