China, India Ask USTR for Removal From IP Priority Watch List

China and India should be removed from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative’s priority watch list for intellectual property infringement, officials in those countries recently told USTR. Comments were due Thursday for USTR’s 2020 Special 301 Review (see 2002070032). China and India cited strong IP protections and reforms, but the U.S. Chamber of Commerce noted both continue to score poorly on the International IP Index. China’s overall score increased from 47.7% in the seventh edition to 51% in the eighth edition, the Chamber said. India’s score increased from 36% to 38.5%. The U.S. score increased from 94.8% to 95.3%. “Despite some positive -- albeit incremental -- changes in China, we continue to advocate for bold reforms that will result in meaningful changes for foreign companies,” the U.S. said. China cited a “firm attitude toward IP protection, with well-established and constantly developing IP legal system,” China said, citing what it called a fair and impartial judicial protection for IP rights. India cited “extensive initiatives taken to reinforce its IPR laws as well as to protect patents and all IP forms in the country.” SoundExchange targeted six countries denying American music performers and producers about $170 million annually in royalties: U.K., Australia, Canada, France, Japan and the Netherlands.