# 2025-11086: Federal Trade Investigators Turn Their Attention to Ink Cartridges

2025-11086, Certain Ink Cartridges and Components Thereof I; Notice of Institution of Investigation, is a Federal Register notice from International Trade Commission published 2025-06-17, effective 2025-06-12; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-03).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-11086
- As of: 2026-11-03
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Document number: 2025-11086
- Title: Certain Ink Cartridges and Components Thereof I; Notice of Institution of Investigation
- Type: Notice
- Agencies: International Trade Commission
- Citation: 90 FR 25643
- Published: 2025-06-17
- Effective: 2025-06-12
- Comments close: not stated
- Significant: no
- Touches household money: yes
- Regulation identifier numbers: none
- Last updated: 2026-11-03

## In one line

Federal Trade Investigators Turn Their Attention to Ink Cartridges

## Summary

The U.S. International Trade Commission is launching an investigation into certain ink cartridges and parts that might be breaking Epson’s patents. This could affect companies importing or selling these cartridges in the U.S., possibly leading to bans or orders to stop sales. The investigation started on June 12, 2025, and could impact the ink cartridge market and money flow soon.

## Abstract

Notice is hereby given that a complaint was filed with the U.S. International Trade Commission on May 13, 2025, under section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, on behalf of Epson Portland Inc. of Hillsboro, Oregon; Epson America, Inc. of Los Alamitos, California; and Seiko Epson Corporation of Japan. Supplements to the complaint were filed on May 19 and 30, 2025, and June 3, 2025. The complaint, as supplemented, alleges violations of section 337 based upon the importation into the United States, the sale for importation, and the sale within the United States after importation of certain ink cartridges and components thereof by reason of the infringement of certain claims of U.S. Patent No. 8,540,347 ("the '347 patent"); U.S. Patent No. 9,061,508 ("the '508 patent"); U.S. Patent No. 11,535,037 ("the '037 patent"); U.S. Patent No. 11,820,150 ("the '150 patent"); and U.S. Patent No. 12,246,539 ("the '539 patent"). The complaint, as supplemented, further alleges that an industry in the United States exists as required by the applicable Federal Statute. The complainants request that the Commission institute an investigation and, after the investigation, issue a general exclusion order, or in the alternative a limited exclusion order, and cease and desist orders.

## Effects PRIA read

- Investigation Could Block Epson Ink Cartridges: cost, high. On June 12, 2025 the U.S. International Trade Commission instituted Investigation No. 337-TA-1451 into “ink jet cartridge products and components thereof for use in Epson ink jet printers” based on a complaint filed May 13, 2025 (with supplements filed May 19, May 30, and June 3, 2025). The complai…

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## Sources
- [2025-11086 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/06/17/2025-11086/certain-ink-cartridges-and-components-thereof-i-notice-of-institution-of-investigation)
- [2025-11086 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2025-06-17/pdf/2025-11086.pdf)

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- [Previous: 2025-11085, New Postal Products](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-11085)
- [Next: 2025-11087, Request for Comment: U.S. Elections Survey-Election Office Staffing](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-11087)
- [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-11086 (as of 2026-11-03).