Don’t Expect ‘Leniency’ on Imports With Unauthorized UL Marks, Says Lawyer

A recent Court of International Trade decision should be a “primer” for importers about how not to game the system when bringing in products with unauthorized Underwriters Labs certification marks, blogged customs lawyer Larry Friedman Monday. The ITC said importer ICCS was liable for damages on merchandise that Customs and Border Protection found displayed the UL mark without the certification body’s authorization, even though similar products were properly registered with UL, said Friedman. Importers should seek confirmation from their suppliers that products bearing UL marks are actually UL-certified, and should double-check the supplier’s say-so through UL’s publicly available verification website, he said. Importers that bring in goods with unauthorized UL marks shouldn't expect leniency, Friedman said. From CBP’s point of view, the UL mark “is a reliable sign that the product is safe,” so CBP “treats this as an important issue,” he said.