Customs Warehouses Are Not Foreign Territory for Purposes of Trademark Protection

In a landmark decision, the highest court of the Swiss Confederation, the Federal Court in Lausanne, on November 2, 1984, declared Swiss customs warehouses domestic territory for purposes of applying the Swiss Trademark Protection Statute to merchandise stored there.  Accordingly, the court held that goods in customs warehouses fall under Swiss criminal jurisdiction.  This determination is significant in light of the international efforts to stem the trade in counterfeit goods.