On April 25, USTR released its annual “Special 301” Report on the adequacy and effectiveness of intellectual property rights (IPR) protection by U.S. trading partners. The report highlights shortfalls in intellectual property protection, and acknowledges progress by some U.S. trading partners. Again this year, USTR’s Special 301 Report highlights serious IPR concerns with respect to China and Russia, in spite of some evidence of improvement in both countries. USTR announced that it will once again retain China on the Priority Watch List and continue monitoring China under Section 306 of the 1974 Trade Act, thus maintaining pressure on China to improve its IPR situation. Although Russia has made some progress – for example, in moving optical disc factories off of government-controlled sites and raiding unlicensed factories – large-scale production and distribution of IP-infringing optical media and Internet piracy remain significant problems that require more enforcement action. Meanwhile, the report notes that Egypt, Lebanon, Turkey, and Ukraine are being moved to the Watch List (from Priority Watch List), reflecting improvements in each country’s IPR regime. Two other trading partners – Belize and Lithuania – are being removed from the Special 301 Report altogether. This year’s report places forty-six (46) countries on the Priority Watch List, or the Section 306 monitoring list. There are nine (9) countries on this year’s Priority Watch List: China, Russia, Argentina, Chile, India, Israel, Pakistan, Thailand, and Venezuela.
View USTR press release
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