USTR Adjusts Special 301 Watch List for Countries It Says Violated IP Rights

The office of U.S. Trade Representative released its annual 2012 Special 301 review process based on compliance with intellectual property rights, and IPR enforcement in 77 trading partners. The Special 301 Report provides a means for the United States to promote the protection and enforcement of IPR. For companies on the list, the U.S. Government could initiate dispute settlement proceedings at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) or other trade bodies, or eliminate tariff preferences.

The list follows:

• Priority Watch List: Algeria, Argentina, Canada, Chile, China, India, Indonesia, Israel, Pakistan, Russia, Thailand, Ukraine, Venezuela.
• Watch List: Belarus, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Finland, Greece, Guatemala, Italy, Jamaica, Kuwait, Lebanon, Mexico, Norway, Peru, Philippines, Romania, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam.
• Section 306 Monitoring: Paraguay.

The report cited positive developments in Malaysia (which was removed from the watch list), Spain (also removed), Israel, the Philippines, Russia, China, Korea and Colombia. The Ukraine is being moved to the Priority Watch List from the Watch List in light of serious and growing concerns relating to counterfeiting and rampant piracy, including piracy over the Internet, USTR said.

One issue, it said, is "the manufacture and distribution of pharmaceutical products bearing counterfeit trademarks is a growing problem that has important consequences for consumer health and safety."