Explore AFTA™
For over 30 years, the American Free Trade Association has championed the rights of distributors, wholesalers, importers, exporters, sellers and resellers committed to protecting American consumers against unfair and monopolistic business practices.
Resources
Court documents, Press Releases, Pending Legislation, Laws, Legislation, Codes and Statutes, Historical and Background Information, and MORE!
Issues
Unredacted Product Samples, First Sale Doctrine, CBP Disclosure, Manifest Confidentiality, Trademark Bullies, Free Trade Agreements and MORE!
Blog Articles
Find out about recent events relating to the American Free Trade Association
We Are AFTA™
We fight to eliminate all barriers which restrict and control access to brand name merchandise
AFTA™ members are primarily small business owners committed to providing American consumers with an array of competitively-priced, brand name merchandise.
AFTA™ is the oldest and most successful national trade association in the United States providing a voice for consumers and businesses depending upon a vibrant and thriving marketplace, offering a wide variety of product, purchasing, shipping, sourcing, pricing and even post-sale servicing options.
AFTA™ members provide consumers with consumer products manufactured by or under the authority of the U.S. rights holder and implement business practices to combat distribution or sale of counterfeit, infringing or unsafe products.
Sourcing genuine, brand name merchandise from around the globe ensures lower prices, greater product varieties and more purchasing options for American consumers.
ENJOY THE PERKS OF MEMBERSHIP
AFTA™ members provide the Association with resources and insight critical to successfully overcome legislative, judicial and regulatory efforts favoring big businesses over consumers.
AFTA™ members have access to restricted industry tools and resources
AFTA™ members participate in grass roots advocacy efforts and campaigns
AFTA™ members may participate in valuable relationship building, lobbying and networking events
AFTA™ members receive critical information about pending legislation and rule making impacting future business operations
AFTA™ members provide insight about issues of import and help drive the Association’s strategies and focus
AFTA™ members join other industry leaders to catapult change and make a difference
OUR FREE RESOURCES INCLUDE THOUSANDS OF PAGES OF INFORMATION!
Legislation
Every recent congressional session has seriously considered “anti-counterfeiting” legislation which unintentionally – or intentionally – includes provisions broad enough to restrict, if not totally eliminate, parallel market trade. For more information on this year’s pending bills and related legislative activity, please review information in…
CBP Disclosure
Manufacturers and the Administration are recommending that CBP provide product samples and transactional information to rights holders prior to seizure (based upon a suspicion of a CBP inspector at a port of entry that goods might be counterfeit) to verify product authenticity. These samples may include Tracking or Distribution Codes which would disclose proprietary supply chain and sourcing data.
Manifest Confidentiality
Federal law permits shippers to request confidential treatment of certain information appearing in CBP shipping manifests in order to protect the confidentiality of proprietary information germane to business transactions which has measurable competitive value. The law also limits the disclosure of merchandise information to a “general description”. Because of tight budgets, ineffective systems and technical difficulties, inappropriate disclosures occur allowing release of specific and detailed product names and of shipper and consignee identities.
AFTA Says Goodbye to Its Founder and First President, Joe Rares of Original WorldWide, Inc.
The Board is sorry to report that the founder and first President of AFTA, Joe Rares, passed away on October 4. Joe was an innovative and imaginative businessman who many have credited as a pioneer and creator of parallel market trade and price competition in the US...
AFTA Goes to DC – Guest Blog Post by AFTA Internet Seller Matt Colvin
(The author of the following blog, Matt Colvin, is a member of AFTA's Leadership/Advisory Committee for its Internet Sellers and recently accompanied AFTA Board Members to Washington, D.C. to discuss IPR and eCommerce issues. Matt is a Disabled Veteran who is now...
AFTA Welcomes Its Newest Members…AFTA Internet Sellers!
It's 2018 and AFTA is expanding its reach, its advocacy and its voice to include the particular issues and concerns now facing Internet Sellers reselling branded goods on platforms such as Amazon and Ebay. Rights owners are fighting to control e-commerce as they have...
Our Board
