Special 301 Report

Special 301 Report Latest News

India has yet again been placed on the ‘priority watch’ list of the US Trade Representative (USTR) office’s Special 301 Report on intellectual property rights.

About Special 301 Report

• It is an annual report by the United States Trade Representative (USTR) under the Trade Act of 1974.
• It identifies countries that are considered by the US as not providing adequate and effective protection of intellectual property rights (IPRs) or fair and equitable market access to IP rights holders from the US. 
• The report has been issued every year since 1989. 
• It designates countries as “priority foreign country”, “priority watch country”, and “watch list country”. 
• Designation as a priority foreign country initiates an investigationand possible application of sanctions on the foreign country, while designation on a Priority Watchlist suggests serious IPR deficiencies that require greater US attention.
• Other countries that are considered to have serious IPR deficiencies but are not designated for greater US attention are placed on a Watchlist. 
• The report includes both developed and developing countries.
• The targeting of countries in the Section 301 Report is arbitrary. 
• The report lacks empirical evidence and objective analysis and is biased to the concerns raised by segments of the industry of the US with regard to the protection and enforcement of IP rights abroad.

Special 301 Report FAQs

Q1. What is the Special 301 Report related to?

Ans. It identifies countries with inadequate protection of intellectual property rights (IPRs).

Q2. The Special 301 Report is issued by which entity?

Ans. United States Trade Representative (USTR)

Q3. What does designation as a "priority foreign country" in the Special 301 Report initiate?

Ans. An investigation and possible sanctions

Source: THBL