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News

Internatia
onof Electronics Association

Minimizing the risk the anti-counterfeiting arena, two

critical terms being hotly debated

are “legally authorized source” and
of Counterfeit Electronics “counterfeit part.” The terms “legally

authorized source” and “counterfeit
INTERNATIONAL ELECTRONICS part” would define what entities
SUPPLIERS
or things are included or excluded
from coverage in the relevant
by Robin Gray
associations, the government has standards to avoid counterfeits regulation or standard. In general,
taken notice of the risks of buying and their request for ECIA’s help President and CEO ECIA being defined as a legally authorized
rgray@eciaonline.org
from “unauthorized” sources. As is both humbling and reflective of source or a genuine part would
a result of government action, the regard with which they hold exclude coverage. While being

customers, particularly those ECIA,” stated Kevin Sink. “Each defined as an unauthorized source

customers serving the military week, distributor and manufacturer or a suspect/confirmed counterfeit
and aerospace industries, now members of ECIA join together part would bring the source/

recognize the value of buying from with government agencies and part within the coverage of the
authorized sources to minimize prime contractors for a 90 minute applicable regulation or standard.

the risk of counterfeit electronics. conference call to discuss the
Buying electronic parts from elements of the standard,” Sink Proof of authorization is the
D
istributor authorization unauthorized sources dramatically added. “After eight months of logical next issue once the deinition
continues to be a hot increases the risk to customers and meetings, the SAE committee for “legally authorized source” has

topicultimately affects national security has completed the initial review. been established. Resolution of
componet and public health and safety. The standard will go to balloting this issue is of greatest interest
Conorzio n
sdi tivCustomers and governin Q1 2014 and are striving for its to customers, since buying from
aiare increasingly aware of the ECIA is collaborating with the SAE
per Associazioni completion in Q2 2014. ECIA’s authorized sources is the best
e gruppi d’imprese importance of buying electronic International’s G19 Counterfeit support has been paramount to its way to reduce the risk of acquiring

parts from an authorized source - Electronic Parts Committee on success.” counterfeit product. ECIA believes
directly from the original component several standards that either that the strongest evidence of

manufacturer (oCM) or from an define or use the term “authorized Five key issues have emerged as authorization is the component
oCM’s authorized distributor- to distributor.” one of the current government and industry develop manufacturer’s website. The

reduce the risk of buying counterfeit issues before a G19 Subcommittee standards to detect and avoid component manufacturer’s website
products. As a result, efforts to is verification of authorization. The counterfeit electronic parts: should clearly display where its

define and verify what constitutes subcommittee is co-chaired by • initions products can be purchased. This
“authorization” have taken a center Robin B. Gray, Jr., chief operating • list should be kept current and

stage in the electronics industry. officer & general counsel for ECIA • eication/testing specify any limitations on warranty
and Kevin Sink, vice president of • ra
coverage, product lines and
The Electronic Components quality for TTI. • territory that may exist for each

Industry Association (ECIA) has authorized distributor/reseller.
been intimately involved in this effort “ECIA has been very active in Dinitions are the foundation of ECIA recommends against paper

for years. The association defines an the development of the standard any regulation and standard. In documentation, given the ease with
authorized distributor as a business for the Authorized Distributor

that has been contractually for counterfeit mitigation. The
authorized by the component document developed by their

manufacturer to resell its products. subcommittee in Q1 of 2013 is
As it turns out, this definition is also the basis for the SAE standard

becoming the de facto definition. now under development. SAE’s
Thanks largely to efforts by ECIA counterfeit standards have become

and other electronics industry the de-facto international gold-

6www.ideaelectronics.com