US copyright infringement priority watch list includes China, India; Could lead to sanctions in WTO

The United States copyright infringement priority watch list was recently released by the US Trade Representative's Office, it includes China and India. This places the nations, together with nine others, under sensitive scrutiny for theft of intellectual property.

According to The Wire, the 11 countries targeted by the United States' annual "priority watch list" are subjected to careful investigation over theft of intellectual property such as movies and music. The countries on the list released by the US Trade Representative's Office currently hold the worst records of online copyright infringements.

US Trade Representative Michael Froman said in a statement, "Intellectual property is a critical source of economic growth and high-quality jobs for the United States, and it is more important than ever to prevent foreign governments and competitors from ripping off United States innovators who are trying to support high-paying jobs by exporting their goods and services to consumers around the world."

According to India Today, the countries on the priority watch list include China, India, Thailand, Indonesia, Algeria, Argentina, Chile, Russia, Kuwait, Ukraine and Venezuela. India remained a priority for "lack of sufficient measurable improvements," as stated on the USTR report. It also said that despite China's efforts to undertake in intellectual property reforms and positive reinforcement initiatives, the country continues to be a massive hub of physical counterfeiting and online piracy.

Pakistan and Ecuador, both on the priority watch list last year, fared better after setting up intellectual property courts and reinstating criminal penalties for violators, respectively. According to NDTV, Pakistan's IP reform efforts include public awareness programs, border enforcement procedures and amendments to IP legislation.

Meanwhile, Ecuador's Ministry of Trade asserted the acceleration of reforms to comply with international policy on IP rights through the criminalization of offenses. The country's IP reform outlines that offenders will face imprisonment of up to 45 days as well as fines consistent to the value of the stolen properties.

The countries in the USTR priority watch list are at risk for sanctions should the case be brought to the World Trade Organization. They will be the subject of bilateral engagement in the coming year.

Tags

US intellectual property, copyright infringement, piracy, illegal downloads, counterfeiting

© 2023 Lawyer Herald All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.