United States Trade Representative (USTR) Section 301 Annual Reports (2001-2007)

Section 301 of 1984 Trade & Tariff Act (which amended 1974 Trade Act) gave the US President authority to deal with states that failed to provide “adequate and effective” protection for US intellectual property rights.

Under Section 301, punishment for a foreign country that fails to provide protection for US intellectual property:

US President can authorize withdrawal of trade benefits or impose duties on goods (or USTR can “self-initiate” a 301 Action without President).

Step 1: “Watch List”

Step 2: “Priority Watch List”

Step 3: “Priority Foreign Country” = Possible trade retaliation from US

Under “Special 301” enacted in 1988, USTR identifies countries that denied “adequate and effective protection” of US intellectual property or that denied “fair and equitable market access” to US intellectual property holders.  Any “interested person” can file a petition asking USTR to launch Section 301 investigation and deny trade benefits to a country.  Often, industry trade organizations such as the RIAA and MPAA file Special 301 Petitions and begin the process of US trade retaliation against foreign countries.

Noteworthy Early “301 Actions”:

In 1985 USTR initiated first two Section 301 Actions (against Brazil over its informatics law, and against Korea over pharmaceuticals).  Korea signed a bi-lateral agreement with the US in 1986 to change its intellectual property law to appease the US.

In 1987 the USTR filed another 301 Action against Brazil over drug patents that resulted in US $39 million in tariffs imposed on Brazil in 1988.  The trade sanctions on Brazil were lifted in 1990 after the Brazilian president said he would seek the IPR legislation that the United States wanted.

In 1988 the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association filed a Special 301 Petition against Argentina for greater monopoly rights over medicine.  The petition was withdrawn after Argentina amended its patent laws to comply with the US trade organization’s wishes.

In 1991 the USTR filed a 301 Action against India, which began the process of India changing its IPR law to please US interests.

In 1994 the US imposed tariffs on China over intellectual property, but an agreement was reached between the US and China, a “Memorandum of Understanding” before the tariffs went into effect.

Its also noteworthy that nearly EVERY country in the world is on one of these USTR lists as not providing sufficient protection to US IPR interests and on the road to trade sanctions.

 

 

USTR Section 301 Annual Reports

 

COUNTRY YEAR TYPE OF WATCH USTR FOCUS TYPE OF IPR COMMENTS
BAHAMAS
2001 N/A
2002 Watch List Cable Television Copyrights
2003 Priority Watch List Cable Programs; Copyright Legislation; Over-the -Air Broadcasts Copyrights
2004 Priority Watch List Cable Programs; Motion Pictures Copyrights
2005 Watch List Copyright Infringement of Cable Television and Motion Pictures; Absence of Implementations of the Copyright Amendments Copyrights
2006 Watch List Cable Television Copyrights Continued failure to implement 2004 copyright amendment to agreement between US and Bahamas first reached in 2000.
2007 N/A
2008 N/A
BELARUS
2001 Watch List Not Yet a Party to the Geneva Phonograms Convention Copyrights
2002 Watch List Sound Recordings; Transshipment Point for Pirate Materials Throughout the Region; Optical Disk Production; Border Enforcement Copyrights; Trademarks
2003 Watch List Sound Recordings; Transshipment Point for Pirate Materials Throughout the Region Copyrights
2004 Watch List Pre-Existing Works and Sound Recordings; Optical Media Piracy; No “ex officio” Raids of Seizures Copyrights
2005 Watch List Inadequate Protection for Pre-Existing Works and Sound Recordings; Weak Border Protection; Illegal Optical Media Plants; Inadequate Civil and Criminal Procedures Copyrights
2006 Watch List Enforcement; Piracy (optical media plants), Copyrights Continued failure to adhere to U.S.-Belarus Trade Agreement; No criminal code or civil law to prosecute for seized illegal products at border.
2007 Watch List Piracy; Inadequate Copyright Laws; Inadequate Protection for Sound Recordings and Pre-existing Works; Software Piracy Copyrights
2008 Watch List Inadequate Police Powers; Border Enforcement; Software Piracy Copyrights; Trademarks
BOLIVIA
2001 Watch List Inadequate Laws; Pharmaceuticals; Pirated Software Copyrights; Patents
2002 Watch List Stalled Legislature Copyrights; Trademarks
2003 Watch List Enforcement Sporadic and Ineffective; Piracy of CD’s, Videos and Software Copyrights; Trademarks
2004 Watch List No “ex parte” Civil Searches; IPR Enforcement Sporadic and Ineffective; Border Enforcement Weak; Piracy of Videos, Sound Recordings and Software Copyrights; Trademarks
2005 Watch List Border Enforcement; Music Piracy; Commercial Photocopying of Books, Unauthorized Translations of Books, Video Piracy, and Business and Entertainment Software Piracy Copyrights; Trademarks
2006 Watch List Enforcement Copyrights; Trademarks No notable improvements.
2007 Watch List Piracy; Counterfeiting; Inadequate Copyright Laws; Delays in Civil Enforcement Copyrights; Trademarks
2008 Watch List Rampant Piracy and Counterfeiting; Pharmaceuticals Trademarks; Copyrights; Patents
BULGARIA
2001 N/A
2002 N/A
2003 N/A
2004 Watch List Pirated Optical Disc Media; Ineffective Prosecutions and Minimal Judicial Sentences; Weak Border Enforcement; Counterfeiting of Spirits Copyrights; Trademarks
2005 Watch List Ineffective Anti-Piracy and Anti-Counterfeiting Enforcement Efforts; Optical Disc Piracy; Pirated CDs and DVDs; Inadequate Criminal Code; Ineffective Sentences Copyrights; Trademarks
2006 Watch List Judicial Enforcement; Patent/Trademark Infringement Patents; Trademarks In Feb. 2006 newly formed Council of I.P. Protection approved penal code criminalizing possession of counterfeited products.
2007 N/A
2008 N/A
CANADA
2001 Watch List Pharmaceuticals Patents
2002 Watch List Pharmaceuticals; Border Enforcement Patents
2003 Watch List Unauthorized Patented Medicines; Weak Border Enforcement Patents; Copyrights; Trademarks
2004 Watch List Ratification of the WIPO Internet Treaties, and Implementation of Legislation on Patenting of Higher Life Formers; Judicial Procedures; Patented Medicines; Weak Border Enforcement Trademarks; Patents; Copyrights
2005 Watch List Inadequate Copyright Law; Ineffective Protection of Works in Digital Environment; Stop Counterfeit and Pirated Goods Being Transshipped Through Country; Pharmaceuticals Copyrights; Trademarks; Patents
2006 Watch List Ratification and Implementation of WIPO Internet Treaties; Border Enforcement; (Digital/Pharmaceutical) Copyrights; Patents Awaiting outcome of new government elected in early 2006
2007 Watch List Camcording of Films in Movie Theaters; Counterfeit and Pirated Products; Pirated and Counterfeit Products Transshipped and Transited Through Canada; Weak Border Enforcement Copyrights; Trademarks; Patents
2008 Watch List Copyright Reform; Border Enforcement Copyrights; Trademarks; Patents
CHILE
2001 Watch List Legislation not in Compliance with TRIPS’ Pending Patent Applications; Serious Piracy and Counterfeiting Copyrights; Patents; Trademarks
2002 Watch List Delays in Court; Weak Sentences; Pharmaceuticals Copyrights; Patents
2003 Watch List Pharmaceuticals Patents Chile’s Congress approved in December of 2003 legislation intended to bring the country into compliance with a number of TRIPS commitments.
2004 Watch List Digital Piracy; Pharmaceuticals Patents; Copyrights U.S.-Chile Trade Agreement entered into in January 2004.
2005 Watch List Inadequate Deterrent Penalties; Digital Piracy; Pharmaceuticals Copyrights; Trademarks; Patents
2006 Watch List Unfair commercial use of undisclosed tests and other data by pharmaceutical companies; Insufficient coordination between health and patent authorities; Patent-Infringing; Copyright Piracy; Trademark Counterfeiting Patents; Copyrights; Trademarks Has not fully implemented legislation to comply with U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement obligations
2007 Priority Watch List Pharmaceuticals; Piracy; Counterfeiting; Digital Piracy; Ineffective Deterrent Penalties; Amendments to Legislation Needed Patents; Copyrights; Trademarks
2008 Priority Watch List Pharmaceuticals; Copyright Piracy; Trademark Counterfeiting; Inadequate IP Legislation Patents; Copyrights; Trademarks
COLOMBIA
2001 Watch List Inadequate Copyright Laws; Cable Piracy; Pharmaceuticals Copyrights; Patents
2002 Priority Watch List Pharmaceuticals; Ineffective Copyright and Trademark Laws; Cable Piracy; Rare Prosecutions Copyrights; Trademarks; Patents
2003 Watch List Pirated Sound Recordings; Flea Markets; Piracy of Business Software and Videogame Software
2004 Watch List Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Chemical Products; Piracy of Music and Motion Pictures; Photocopying Piracy; Optical Disc Piracy Patents; Trademarks; Copyrights Music piracy alone estimated at $51 million in Colombia in 2004.
2005 Watch List Optical Disc Piracy; Illegal Photocopying of Academic Textbooks, Business Software, and Entertainment Software; Border Enforcement Copyrights; Trademarks
2006 Watch List Enforcement; Inadequate Judicial System; Border Enforcement; Copyright Piracy; Optical disc Piracy; Business/Entertainment Software Piracy Copyrights; Trademarks U.S.-Columbia Trade Promotion Agreement concluded in Feb. 2006
2007 Watch List Copyright Piracy; Judicial System; Border Enforcement Copyrights; Trademarks Recently completed free trade agreement
2008 Watch List Inadequate Prosecutions; Deterrent Sentences; Border Enforcement Copyrights; Trademarks
COSTA RICA
2001 Priority Watch List Deficiencies in Patent Law Patents
2002 Watch List Pirated Products Copyrights; Trademarks
2003 Watch List Delays in Judicial Proceedings Copyrights; Trademarks
2004 Watch List Inadequate Criminal and Civil Systems for Prosecuting IPR Infringements Copyrights; Trademarks In August 2004 Costa Rica signed the U.S.-Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement.
2005 Watch List Inadequate Data Protection and Patent Laws Copyrights, Trademarks; Patents
2006 Watch List Legislation; Enforcement; Pharmaceuticals; Copyright Piracy; Trademark Counterfeiting Copyrights; Trademarks Only partner to not ratify the U.S.-Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement
2007 Watch List Piracy; Counterfeiting Copyrights; Trademarks; Patents Recently completed free trade agreement
2008 Watch List Piracy Counterfeiting; Pharmaceuticals Copyrights; Trademarks; Patents
CROATIA
2001 N/A
2002 N/A
2003 Watch List Delayed Judicial Decision Making; Delays in Granting of Health Registration Copyrights; Patents
2004 Watch List Pharmaceuticals (copycats, lengthy registration periods) Patents In February 2004 the Croatian Government ratified the 1998 U.S.-Croatia MOU concerning IPR.
2005 Watch List Pharmaceuticals Patents
2006 Watch List Pharmaceuticals; Border Enforcement Patents
2007 N/A
2008 N/A
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
2001 Priority Watch List
2002 Priority Watch List Television Piracy Copyrights; Trademarks; Patents
2003 Watch List Television Piracy; Patent Laws Copyrights; Patents
2004 Watch List Copyright Piracy; Patent Protection; Inadequate Judicial Remedies Copyrights, Patents Signed the U.S.-Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement in August 2004.
2005 Watch List Broadcast Piracy; Ineffective Prosecutions Copyrights; Trademarks
2006 Watch List Enforcement; Pharmaceuticals; Broadcast Piracy Copyrights; Trademarks Steps taken in Jan. of 2006 to ratify WIPO Internet Treaties
2007 Watch List High Levels of Piracy and Counterfeiting Copyrights; Trademarks Recently completed free trade agreement
2008 Watch List High Levels of Piracy and Counterfeiting; Pharmaceuticals Copyrights; Trademarks; Patents
ECUADOR
2001 N/A
2002 N/A
2003 Watch List Medicine Patents; Piracy of Educational Software Copyrights; Patents
2004 Watch List Pharmaceuticals; Piracy of Sound Recordings, Computer Software, and Motion Pictures; Counterfeiting Brand Name Apparel; Courts Unwilling to Enforce Laws Patents, Copyrights; Trademarks
2005 Watch List Sound Recordings; Computer Software; Illegal Commercial Photocopying of Books; Border Enforcement; Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Chemical Products; Limited Government Resources Dedicated to Anti-Piracy and Anti-Counterfeiting Activities Trademarks, Copyrights; Patents
2006 Watch List Judicial Enforcement; Music Piracy; Pharmaceuticals; Business Software Piracy Copyrights, Trademarks; Patents Still no specialized IP court
2007 Watch List Piracy; No Specialized IPR Court; Pharmaceuticals Copyrights; Patents
2008 Watch List Pharmaceuticals Patents
EUROPEAN UNION
2001 Priority Watch List Protection of Geographical Indications for Agricultural Products and Foodstuffs Patents; Copyrights
2002 Priority Watch List Protection of Geographical Indications for Agricultural Products and Foodstuffs Patents; Copyrights
2003 Priority Watch List Protection of Geographical Indications for Agricultural Products and Foodstuffs; Lack of Full Implementation of the EU Biotech Directive Patents; Copyrights
2004 Priority Watch List Geographical Indications for Agricultural Products and Foodstuffs; Lack of Full Implementation of the EU Biotechnology Directive Patents; Copyrights
2005 Watch List Lack of Full Implementation of the EU Biotech Directive WTO dispute panel found that the EU GI Regulation impermissibly discriminates against U.S. products and producers in April of 2005.
2006 Watch List Geographical Indications Trademarks
2007 N/A
2008 N/A
GUATEMALA
2001 Watch List Inadequate Laws Copyrights; Patents; Trademarks
2002 Watch List Business Software Copyrights
2003 Watch List Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Patents; Decreased Criminal Penalties Patents; Copyrights
2004 Watch List New Legislation Patents Legislation Introduced in April 2004 that would revoke data exclusivity.
2005 Watch List High Levels of Piracy and Counterfeiting; Pharmaceuticals and Agricultural Products Trademarks; Copyrights; Patents
2006 Watch List Stronger Legislation; Enforcement; Pharmaceutical & Agricultural Chemical Companies Products
2007 Watch List Piracy; Counterfeiting; Pharmaceuticals Patents; Copyrights; Trademarks Recently completed free trade agreement
2008 Watch List Enforcement Copyrights; Trademarks; Patents
HUNGARY
2001 Priority Watch List Pharmaceuticals; Ineffective Prosecutors and Judicial Authorities Patents
2002 Priority Watch List Pharmaceuticals Patents
2003 Watch List Piracy Copyrights; Patents
2004 Watch List Data Exclusivity Law; Patent Infringement; Piracy of Optical and Auditory Media Copyrights; Patents
2005 Watch List Prosecutorial Delays; Low Fines; Weak Sentences; Weak Border Enforcement; Piracy of Sound Recordings and Motion Pictures; Unauthorized Optical Disc Plants; Business and Entertainment Software Piracy; Photocopying of Books; Pharmaceuticals Trademarks; Copyrights; Patents
2006 Watch List Judicial Enforcement; Border Enforcement; Pharmaceuticals; Copyright Piracy (via internet); Copyrights; Patents Formed Inter-Ministerial Task Force
2007 Watch List Piracy; Internet Piracy; Prosecutorial Delays; Judicial Imposition; Weak Border Enforcement; Pharmaceuticals Patents; Copyrights; Trademarks
2008 Watch List Internet Piracy; Counterfeiting Copyrights; Trademarks
ITALY
2001 Watch List Pirating of Video Products, Sound Recordings, Computer Software, Books, and Video Games; Counterfeiting of Trademarked Apparel Copyrights; Trademarks
2002 Watch List Business Software Copyrights; Trademarks
2003 Watch List Piracy of Business Applications Software; Pharmaceuticals Copyrights; Patents
2004 Watch List Business Software; Ineffective Judicial System; Pharmaceuticals Copyrights; Trademarks; Patents
2005 Watch List Business and Entertainment Software Piracy; Motion Picture, Music and Book Piracy; Inadequate Anti-Piracy Legislation Copyrights; Trademarks
2006 Watch List Judicial Enforcement; Copyright Piracy on the Internet; Copyright & Trademark Infringement Copyrights; Trademarks
2007 Watch List Judicial Imposition; Internet Piracy Copyrights; Trademarks; Patents
2008 Watch List Lack of Deterrent Sentences; Internet Piracy Copyrights; Trademarks
JAMAICA
2001 Watch List Lacks Patent; Industrial Design, Geographical Indication of Plant Variety Legislation Consistent with TRIPS Patents; Copyrights
2002 Watch List Patent, Industrial Design and Plant Variety Laws Patents; Copyrights
2003 Watch List Pharmaceuticals Patents
2004 Watch List Failure to Enact the Patents and Designs Act Patents
2005 Watch List Patent Laws Patents
2006 Watch List Inadequate Patent Laws Patents
2007 Watch List Delay in Enacting the Patents and Designs Act; Patent Law Patents
2008 Watch List Delay in Enacting the Patents and Designs Act Patents
KUWAIT
2001 Watch List Piracy of Computer Software Copyrights
2002 Watch List Lack of Deterrent Penalties; Copyright Laws Copyrights
2003 Watch List Piracy Copyrights
2004 Priority Watch List Inadequate Copyright Law; Insufficient Penalties; Optical disc Piracy; Cable Piracy Copyrights Kuwait Custom’s creation of a special IPR unit of April 2004. U.S.-Kuwait Trade and Investment Framework Agreement signed in February of 2004.
2005 Priority Watch List Copyright Piracy, Inadequate Copyright Laws, Retail Optical Disc Piracy, Software, Cable, Internet Piracy Copyrights
2006 Watch List Implementation of IPR Legislation; Copyrights; Trademarks; Geographical Indications; Patents; Data Protection; Retail Optical Disk Piracy; Business Software Piracy; Cable Piracy; Internet Piracy Copyrights; Trademarks New IPR committee formed (includes Ministries of Justice, Interior, Information, and Commerce and Industry)
2007 Watch List Street Vendors; Pirate Cable Operators Copyrights; Trademarks
2008 Watch List Inadequate Legislation Copyrights, Trademarks; Patents
LATVIA
2001 Watch List Pirated Products are Transshipped Through Latvia from Russia and Ukraine; Poor on the Ground Enforcement; Border Control Copyrights; Trademarks
2002 Watch List Piracy of Optical Media Copyrights
2003 Watch List Piracy of Optical Media Products; Transshipment Point fro Russia and Ukraine Copyrights
2004 Watch List Transshipment Point for Russia; Piracy of Motion Pictures, Records, Music and Entertainment; Internet Piracy Copyrights
2005 Watch List Transshipment Market for Pirated Goods; Pirated Motion Pictures, Records, Music, Entertainment Software and Video Games; Border Enforcement Trademarks; Copyrights
2006 Watch List Stronger Penalties for IPR Infringers; Border Enforcement; Internet Copyright Piracy Copyrights; Trademarks
2007 N/A
2008 N/A
LITHUANIA
2001 Watch List Piracy of Optical Media; Major Transshipment Country; Pharmaceuticals Copyrights; Patents
2002 Watch List Transshipment Point Copyrights
2003 Watch List Major Transshipment Country for Pirated Optical Media Goods in the East and Consumers in the West Copyrights; Trademarks
2004 Watch List Optical Media Piracy; Transshipment Point in the Baltic Region (eastern borders a problem); Pirated Music CDs , Audiocassettes, CD-ROMS, DVDs and Videogames Copyrights; Trademarks
2005 Watch List Optical Media Piracy; A Transshipment Point; Lack of Deterrent Sentences; Border Enforcement; Internet Piracy; Music; Entertainment and Business Software Piracy; Cable Piracy; Inadequate Copyright Laws Copyrights; Trademarks
2006 Watch List Border Enforcement (transshipment problems); Internet Copyright Piracy (optical media) Copyrights; Trademarks
2007 Watch List Border Enforcement; Point for Transshipment of Pirated Optical Media for Baltic Region Copyrights; Trademarks
2008 N/A
MALAYSIA
2001 Priority Watch List Optical Disk Piracy; No Criminal Prosecutions Copyrights
2002 Watch List Optical Media Piracy; Infrequent Police Raids; Lack of Criminal Sentences Copyrights; Trademarks
2003 Watch List Optical Media Piracy (music, entertainment, business software); Counterfeiting of Office Machines and Apparel; Slow Judicial Process Copyrights; Trademarks
2004 Watch List Entertainment Software Piracy; Optical Media Piracy; Book Piracy; Few Prosecutions; Pharmaceuticals Copyrights; Trademarks; Patents US copyright industry estimated loss of $188 million due to Malaysia in 2004.
2005 Watch List Optical Media; Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Chemical Products; Weak Enforcement; Piracy of Apparel, Luxury Goods, Tobacco, Mobile Phone Batteries, and Toys Trademarks; Copyrights; Patents
2006 Watch List Licensed & Unlicensed Optical Disc Plants Producing Pirated Products; Internet Piracy & Counterfeiting; Pharmaceuticals Trademarks; Copyrights Deficiencies exist in current copyright laws complicating implementation of WIPO Internet Treaties
2007 Watch List Pharmaceuticals Patents
2008 Watch List Pharmaceuticals Patents
MEXICO
2001 N/A
2002 N/A
2003 Watch List Lack of Coordination Between Mexican Health Officials and IMPI; Few Prosecutions and Fewer Convictions Copyrights; Trademarks; Patents Estimated $712 million loss to U.S. copyrights industry in 2003.
2004 Watch List Piracy of Sound Recordings and Motion Pictures; Lack of Deterrent Penalties; Failure to Destroy Seized Products Copyrights; Trademarks Estimated $870 million loss to U.S. copyright industry in 2004.
2005 Watch List Pharmaceuticals; Pirated Sound Recordings and Motion Pictures; Weak Enforcement Patents; Trademarks, Copyrights
2006 Watch List Pharmaceuticals; Prosecutions & Penalties Patents; Copyrights Recent formation of specialized IPR customs unit.
2007 Watch List Courts do not Impose Convictions and Deterrent Sentences for Pirates and Counterfeiters; Pharmaceuticals Patents; Copyrights; Trademarks
2008 Watch List Lack of Deterrent Sentences; Improve Coordination between Federal, State and Local Authorities; Pharmaceuticals Copyrights; Trademarks; Patents
PAKISTAN
2001 Watch List Piracy of Optical Media; Book Piracy; Refusal of Courts to Issue Ex Parte Search Orders; Piracy of Business Software; Delayed Court Proceedings and Non-Deterrent Penalties Trademarks; Copyrights
2002 Watch List Piracy of CDS and Optical Media; Book Piracy Trademarks; Copyrights
2003 Watch List Optical Media Piracy Trademarks; Copyrights
2004 Priority Watch List Pirated Optical Media of Copyrighted Sound Recordings, Motion Pictures, Business Software, and Published Materials; Counterfeiting of Apparel; Pharmaceuticals; Book Piracy; Overall Lax Enforcement Trademarks; Copyrights; Patents
2005 Priority Watch List Inadequate Copyright Protection; Ineffective Criminal Penalties; Piracy and Counterfeiting of Optical Media, Apparel, Pharmaceuticals and Agricultural Products Copyrights, Trademarks; Patents “Pakistan is one of the world’s leading producers/exporters of pirated optical media of copyrighted sound recordings, motions pictures, business software, and published materials.”
2006 Watch List Piracy; Pharmaceuticals Recent establishment of Intellectual Property Organization of Pakistan.
2007 Watch List Pharmaceuticals Patents
2008 Priority Watch List Pharmaceuticals; Book Piracy; Lack of Deterrent Sentences Patents; Copyrights
PERU
2001 Watch List Second Use Patents Patents
2002 Watch List Piracy of Sound Recordings; Inadequate Enforcement Copyrights; Patents
2003 Watch List Piracy of Sound Recordings; Few Prosecutions and Deterrent Sentences; Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Chemical Products Copyrights; Patents
2004 Watch List Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Chemical Products; Piracy of Sound Recordings, Textbooks, Books, Motion Pictures and Software; Optical Media Piracy Patents; Trademarks; Copyrights
2005 Watch List Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Products; Sound Recordings; Optical Discs; Weak Border Enforcement Patents; Copyrights; Trademarks
2006 Watch List Border Enforcement; Piracy of Sound Recordings & Business Software; Ineffective Coordination System Between Health and Patent Authorities; Pharmaceuticals Copyrights; Patents In April of 2006 U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement signed.
2007 Watch List Piracy Levels High; Inadequate Deterrent Sentences Copyrights; Trademarks Recently completed free trade agreement
2008 Watch List Piracy Levels High; Deterrent Sentences; Pharmaceuticals Patents; Copyrights; Trademarks
PHILIPPINES
2001 Priority Watch List Weak Copyright Enforcement; Piracy of Compact Disks and Other Optical Media; Cable Piracy; Piracy of Textbooks; No Civil Ex Parte Searches Copyrights; Patents
2002 Priority Watch List Optical Disk Piracy Copyrights; Patents
2003 Priority Watch List Optical Media Piracy; Piracy of Books, Cable Television, and Software Especially by end-users; Counterfeit Pharmaceuticals; Lack of Optical Media Legislation Copyrights; Patents Bureau of Customs created a permanent OPR unit in September 2003 to investigate all shipments of counterfeit and pirated goods.
2004 Priority Watch List Pirated Optical Discs of Cinematographic and Musical Works, Computer Games, and Business Software; Motion Picture and Cable Piracy; Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Chemical Products Copyrights; Trademarks; Patents Passage of Optical Media Act in February of 2004. Single seizure of optical discs, worth of which was $8 million, in December of 2004.
2005 Priority Watch List Book Piracy; Pirated Optical Media; Software Piracy; Non-Deterrent Sentences; Lack of Border Enforcement; Ineffective Judicial System Copyrights, Trademarks
2006 Watch List Continued Enforcement of Optical Media Act; Copying of Textbooks; Customs Enforcement; Theft by Pirate Cable TV Operators; Implementation of WIPO Internet Treaties; Internet Piracy; Counterfeit Pharmaceuticals All
2007 Watch List Optical Disc Plants; Textbook Copying; Pirate Cable TV Operators; Internet Piracy Copyrights; Trademarks
2008 Watch List Book Piracy; Internet Piracy; Camcording of Films in Theaters; Optical Media Board needs Strengthening Copyrights; Trademarks; Patents
POLAND
2001 Watch List Warsaw Stadium Problems; Pharmaceuticals Copyrights; Trademarks; Patents
2002 Watch List Warsaw Stadium Problems Copyrights; Trademarks Anti-Piracy Crusade Initiated
2003 Priority Watch List Lack of Political Will to Shut Down the Open Air Market Inside the Warsaw Stadium Which is Awash in Pirated Optical Media Products and Counterfeit Goods; Porous Borders; Pharmaceuticals Copyrights; Trademarks; Patents
2004 Watch List Pharmaceuticals; Inadequate Patent Law; Weak Border Protection (primarily from Russia and Ukraine); Pirated Optical Discs; Weak Judicial System (untrained judges) Patents; Copyrights; Trademarks
2005 Watch List Pharmaceuticals; Optical Disc Media; Sound Recordings, Audiovisual Products, Video Games and Business Software Applications; Internet Piracy Trademarks, Patents, Copyrights
2006 Watch List Lack of Judicial Enforcement & Sentences; Border Enforcement; Pharmaceuticals; Internet Piracy; Counterfeiting Copyrights; Trademarks
2007 N/A Warsaw Stadium Closed
2008 Watch List Internet Piracy; Border Enforcement; Inefficient Prosecutions; Deterrent Sentences; Pharmaceuticals Copyrights; Trademarks; Patents
REPUBLIC OF KOREA
2001 Priority Watch List Piracy of Educational Books; Copyright Laws; Software Piracy Copyrights
2002 Watch List Software Piracy; Pharmaceuticals Copyrights; Patents
2003 Watch List Lack of Full Retroactive Protection for Pre-Existing Copyrighted Works Copyrights; Trademarks
2004 Priority Watch List Sound Recordings; Digital Piracy; Online Music Piracy; Book Piracy; Street Vendors; Pharmaceuticals Copyrights; Trademarks; Patents
2005 Watch List Temporary Copies; Piracy of DVDs, Computer Software, University Textbooks; Street Vendors; Pharmaceuticals Trademarks; Copyrights; Patents
2006 Watch List Strengthen Relevant Provisions of its Copyright Act and Computer Programs Protection Act; Clarify Scope of Their Private Copy Exception; Extend Term of Copyright Protection for Works and Sound Recordings; Pharmaceuticals Piracy of DVDs, Computer Software & Books; Patents Establishment of Copyright Protection Center & Standing Inspection Team
2007 Watch List Piracy; Counterfeiting Patents; Copyrights; Trademarks Recently completed free trade agreement
2008 Watch List Piracy; Counterfeiting Patens; Copyrights; Trademarks
ROMANIA
2001 Watch List Piracy of Sound Recordings (video, broadcast television, and cable television); Piracy of Business and Entertainment Software Copyrights
2002 Watch List Sound Recordings; Audiovisual Products (videos, broadcast television, cable television); Computer Software Copyrights
2003 Watch List Poor Border Enforcement; Lack of Resources Copyrights
2004 Watch List Optical Disc Piracy; Border Enforcement; Rare Prosecutions; Lack of Deterrent Penalties; Lack of Effective Legislation Copyrights; Trademarks; Patents
2005 Watch List Judicial Enforcement Copyrights; Trademarks
2006 Watch List Judicial Enforcement; Piracy of Business Software, Music and Entertainment Software Copyrights; Trademarks General Prosecutor’s Office of the Supreme Court designated as the national coordinator for IPR enforcement; Requirement of Source Identification Codes for optical disc manufacturing
2007 Watch List Internet Piracy; Weak Enforcement Copyrights
2008 Watch List Internet Piracy; Lack of Deterrent Sentences Copyrights
SAUDI ARABIA
2001 Watch List Pharmaceuticals; Laws not in Conformity with TRIPS Patents; Copyrights
2002 Watch List Lack of Judicial Enforcement; Lack of Deterrent Penalties Copyrights; Trademarks
2003 Watch List Lack of Deterrent Sentences; Inadequate Judicial System Copyrights; Patents; Trademarks
2004 Watch List Piracy of Sound Recordings; Inadequate “ex parte” Civil Search Orders; Lack of Deterrent Penalties; Piracy of Optical Discs, Books, Television and Software; Pharmaceuticals Copyrights; Patents
2005 Watch List Destruction of Seized Goods; Enforcement; Deterrent Sentences Copyrights; Trademarks Entry into WTO.   Seized 1.2 million audio-visual materials in March 2005.
2006 Watch List Enforcement (border);   Judicial Enforcement Copyrights; Trademarks
2007 Watch List Piracy; Counterfeiting Copyrights; Trademarks
2008 Watch List Jail Sentences for Serious Offenses; Border Enforcement Copyrights; Trademarks
TAIWAN
2001 Priority Watch List Optical Media Piracy; Copyright Laws out of Compliance with TRIPS; Counterfeiting of Spare Auto Parts Copyrights; Trademarks
2002 Priority Watch List Optical Media Piracy Copyrights; Trademarks
2003 Priority Watch List Optical Media Piracy and Counterfeiting Copyrights; Trademarks
2004 Priority Watch List Small Custom Optical Media Burning Operations; Border Enforcement; Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Products Trademarks; Copyrights; Patents
2005 Watch List Internet Piracy; Judicial Reforms; Copying of Textbooks; Cable Piracy; Pharmaceuticals; Business Software Patents; Trademarks; Copyrights
2006 Watch List Border Enforcement; Legislative amendments to Address ISP Liabilities; Stronger Criminal Penalties; Copyrights (sound recordings) Copyrights; Trademarks
2007 Watch List Counterfeiting; Internet Piracy (especially on TANet); Inadequate Legislation; Weak Criminal Penalties Copyrights; Trademarks
2008 Watch List Internet Piracy (especially on TANet); Legislation; Copyrights
TAJIKISTAN
2001 Watch List Not Yet a Party to the Geneva Phonograms Convention; Piracy of Sound Recordings Copyrights
2002 Watch List Sound Recordings Copyrights
2003 Watch List Not Yet a Party to the Geneva Phonograms Convention; Piracy of Sound Recordings; No Criminal Penalties Copyrights
2004 Watch List Piracy of Sound Recordings; No Criminal Penalties Copyrights Trade and Investment Framework Agreement signed
2005 Watch List Weak Enforcement; No Criminal Penalties Copyrights; Trademarks
2006 Watch List Legal Reforms, Enforcement; Lack of Criminal Penalties
2007 Watch List Has not yet Fulfilled its IPR Obligations under the U.S.-Tajikistan Bilateral Agreement; Lacks Criminal Penalties; Needs Legal Reforms; Copyright Law does not Provide Protection for Sound Recordings or Pre-existing Works Copyrights; Trademarks
2008 Watch List Lack of Criminal Penalties for IPR Violations; Border Enforcement Copyrights; Trademarks
THAILAND
2001 Watch List Piracy of Business Software and Media Piracy Copyrights
2002 Watch List Optical Disk Piracy; End-User Piracy of Business Software; Judicial Delays; Lack of Deterrent Sentences Copyrights; Trademarks
2003 Watch List Optical Media Piracy, Business and Entertainment Piracy; Cable Piracy Copyrights
2004 Watch List Optical Media Piracy; Enforcement Remains Uncoordinated and Sporadic; Piracy of Optical Disc Video Games, Clothing/Apparel, Watches, Leather Goods, Jewelry, Lighters; Auto Parts, Mobile Phone Accessories, Batteries, and Wine; Book Piracy; Broadcast Piracy Copyrights; Trademarks
2005 Watch List Optical Disc Piracy; Optical Disc Legislation; Photocopying of Books; Cable Piracy; Video Game Piracy; Internet Piracy; Business Software Piracy; Pharmaceuticals Copyrights; Trademarks; Patents
2006 Watch List Enforcement; Optical Disc Pirate Production Plants; Weak Optical Disc Legislation, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Chemical Companies; Optical Discs; Photocopying of Books; Cable Signals; Entertainment and Business Software; Music on the Internet Trademarks; Copyrights; Patents
2007 N/A
2008 Priority Watch List Optical Disc Piracy; Lack of Deterrent Sentences; Book Piracy; Cable Piracy; Signal Theft; Entertainment and Business Software Piracy Trademarks; Copyrights
TURKMENISTAN
2001 Watch List Not Yet a Party to the Berne Convention or the Geneva Phonograms Convention; Criminal Penalties not Adopted; Weak Border Enforcement Copyrights
2002 Watch List Sound Recordings; No Criminal Penalties; No Authority to Seize Material at Border Copyrights; Trademarks
2003 Watch List Not Yet a Party to the Berne Convention; Piracy of Sound Recordings; Weak Border Enforcement Copyrights
2004 Watch List Outdated Copyright Law; No Protection for Sound Recordings or Pre-existing Works; No Criminal Penalties Copyrights
2005 Watch List Sound Recordings; No Criminal Penalties Copyrights; Trademarks
2006 Watch List Legal Reforms Copyrights Failed to fulfill IPR obligations under the U.S.-Turkmenistan Trade Agreement; No clear criminal procedures or penalties for IPR infringement
2007 Watch List No Clear Criminal Procedures or Penalties for IPR infringement; Legal Reforms Copyrights
2008 Watch List Lack of Fulfillment under US-Turkmenistan Trade Agreement; No Copyright Law; Border Enforcement Copyrights
UZBEKISTAN
2001 Watch List Not Yet a Party to the Berne Convention or the Geneva Phonograms Convention Copyrights
2002 Watch List Not Yet a Party to the Berne Convention; Sound Recordings Copyrights
2003 Watch List Not Yet a Member of the Berne Convention or the Geneva Convention; Piracy of Sound Recordings; Weak Border Enforcement Copyrights
2004 Watch List No Protection for Sound Recordings or Pre-existing Works; Weak Criminal Penalties Copyrights
2005 Watch List Sound Recordings; Inadequate Criminal Penalties Copyrights
2006 Watch List Border Enforcement; Inadequate Criminal Penalties Copyrights Appeared to be out of compliance with its intellectual property commitments under the U.S.-Uzbekistan Trade Agreement (emphasis on copyright protection and enforcement)
2007 Watch List Copyright Protection and Enforcement; Sound Recordings and Pre-existing Works; Inadequate Criminal Penalties Copyrights
2008 Watch List Protection for Sound Recordings and Pre-Existing Works; Lack of Ex Officio Authority; Inadequate Criminal Penalties Copyrights; Trademarks
VIETNAM
2001 Watch List Copyright Piracy Very High; Inadequate Laws and Regulations
2002 Watch List Piracy of CDS, VCDs and DVDs Copyrights; Trademarks
2003 Watch List Rampant Violations; Cultural Products; Piracy of CD’s, VCD’s, and DVD’s; Counterfeit Clothing Copyrights; Trademarks
2004 Watch List Piracy of DVDs, CDs and VCDs; Reluctant Judges to Impose Deterrent Sentences; Pharmaceuticals; Unlicensed Clothing Copyrights; Trademarks; Patents
2005 Watch List Pharmaceuticals; Reluctant Judges to Impose Penalties or Fines Copyrights; Patents Passage of Comprehensive IPR law
2006 Watch List Pirated CDs, VCDs and DVDs Copyrights
2007 Watch List Satellite Signal Piracy; Ineffective Deterrent Penalties; Failure to Destroy Infringing Goods and Equipment Used to Make Them Copyrights; Trademarks
2008 Watch List Border Enforcement; Internet Piracy; Optical Media Copyrights; Trademarks
CHINA
2001 Section 306 All All
2002 Section 306 All All
2003 Section 306 All All
2004 Section 306 All All
2005 OCR Review All All
2006 Priority Watch List All All 85-93% of all copyrighted material sold in China in 2006 was pirated.
2007 Priority Watch List All All
2008 Priority Watch List All All
RUSSIA
2001 Priority Watch List Lack of Retroactive Protection for Works and Sound Recordings; Lack of Legislation to Control Pirated Optical Media; Unauthorized Production and Export of CDs and CD-ROMs; Inadequate Protection of Well-Known Trademarks; Household Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals Trademarks; Copyrights; Patents
2002 Priority Watch List Unauthorized Production and Export of CDs and CD-ROMs; Optical Disk Media; Pharmaceuticals Trademarks; Copyrights; Patents
2003 Priority Watch List Lack of Copyright and Trademark Laws; Piracy of Optical Media; Weak Border Enforcement Copyrights; Trademarks
2004 Priority Watch List Inadequate Copyright Laws; Piracy of Sound Recordings; Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Chemical Products; Weak Border Enforcement; Optical Disc Piracy Copyrights; Trademarks; Patents U.S. copyright industry estimates losses at $1.7 billion for 2004.
2005 Priority Watch List Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Chemical Products; Piracy of Optical Media, Recordings, Motions Pictures, Business Software, Entertainment Software; Ineffective Criminal Enforcement System; Infrequent Destruction of Seized Pirated Goods; Internet Piracy Trademarks; Copyrights; Patents
2006 Priority Watch List Optical Disc Pirate Production (located on government owned facilities); Internet Piracy; Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Companies; TRIPS Compliance; Border Enforcement; Inadequate Copyright Enforcement Copyrights; Patents; Trademarks Proposed Part IV of the Civil Code which would replace existing IPR laws raises questions about its compliance with international norms.
2007 Priority Watch List Pirated Music; Poor Enforcement; Sporadic and Inadequate Prosecution of IP cases; Pharmaceuticals; Border Enforcement Copyrights; Patents; Trademarks U.S. cpoyright industry estimates losses at $1.4 billion for 2007.
2008 Priority Watch List Optical disc piracy; Internet Piracy; Sporadic and Inadequate Prosecutions; Failure by Courts to Impose Deterrent Penalties Copyrights; Patents; Trademarks
ARGENTINA
2001 Priority Watch List Unauthorized Use of Protected Seed Varieties; Pharmaceuticals; Inadequate Copyright Laws; Failure to Provide Preliminary Injunctions
2002 Priority Watch List Counterfeit Brand Name Goods; Unlicensed Software; Criminal Charges and Convictions Rarely Sought or Obtained; Pharmaceuticals Copyrights; Trademarks; Patents U.S.-Argentina Agreement signed in May 2002
2003 Priority Watch List CD-R and Videogame Piracy; Unauthorized use of Protected Seed Varities; Piracy of Recorded Music, Videos, Book and Computer Software; Border Controls; Slow Court Procedures Copyrights; Trademarks; Patents
2004 Priority Watch List Piracy of Recordable CDS, Optical Media, Entertainment Software, Sound Recordings, Books and Films; Weak Border Controls; Slow Court Procedures, Pharmaceuticals Copyrights; Trademarks; Patents Implementation of new protection patent law, January 2004
2005 Priority Watch List Piracy of Audiovisual, Sound Recordings, Entertainment Software, Business Software, and Book Publishing; Lack of Deterrent Criminal Penalties; Delays in Criminal and Civil Cases; Border Controls; Agricultural Biotechnology Products, Pharmaceuticals Copyrights, Trademarks, Patents
2006 Priority Watch List Pharmaceuticals; Copyright Piracy; Music Piracy (internet & burned CD-Rs); Entertainment & Business Software; Book Publishing Copyrights; Trademarks; Patents
2007 Priority Watch List Pharmaceuticals; Copyright Piracy Patents; Copyrights
2008 Priority Watch List Pharmaceuticals; Copyright Piracy; Lack of Deterrent Penalties Patents; Copyrights
BELIZE
2001 N/A
2002 N/A
2003 N/A
2004 Watch List Counterfeit Goods in Pharmaceutical and Tobacco Sectors Copyrights; Patents
2005 Watch List Insufficient Cooperation Between Rights Holders and Government Entities Copyrights
2006 Priority Watch List Willingness of Authorities to Conduct Inspections, Seize Counterfeit and Pirated Goods Complete Prosecutions and Issue Deterrent Sentences; Border Enforcement Copyrights
2007 Watch List Border Enforcement; Counterfeiting; Piracy Copyrights; Trademarks
2008 N/A
BRAZIL
2001 Watch List Pharmaceuticals; Serious Copyrights Piracy Copyrights; Patents
2002 Priority Watch List Music Piracy Copyrights
2003 Priority Watch List Optical Disc Piracy; Sound Recording and Videocassette Piracy; Few Prosecutions; Patent Applications Copyrights; Trademarks; Patents
2004 Priority Watch List Optical Media Piracy and Internet Piracy; Inadequate Criminal Enforcement; Few Prosecutions; Ineffective Border Enforcement; Pharmaceuticals Copyrights; Trademarks; Patents
2005 Priority Watch List Optical Media and Internet Piracy; Border Enforcement; Few Criminal Prosecutions and Convictions; Backlog of Pending Patent Applications Copyrights; Trademarks; Patents Adoption of a National Action Plan by Brazil’s National Council to Combat Piracy and Intellectual Property Crimes.
2006 Priority Watch List Piracy; Counterfeiting; Pharmaceuticals; Lack of Prosecutions Patents; Copyrights Formation of a public-private National Anti-Piracy Council
2007 Watch List Piracy; Counterfeiting; Patent Approval Process; Pharmaceuticals Patents; Copyrights; Trademarks
2008 Watch List Book Piracy; Internet Piracy Copyrights; Trademarks; Patents
EGYPT
2001 Priority Watch List Inadequate Copyright Laws; Piracy of Sound Recordings; Approval of Fraudulent Licenses; Patent Law; Piracy of Audio and Video CDs Trademarks; Copyrights; Patents
2002 Priority Watch List Ineffective Copyright and Trademark Laws; False Licenses Trademarks; Copyrights
2003 Watch List Counterfeiting Photocopy and Reprint Piracy, Retail Piracy, Corporate End-user Software Piracy, Videogame Piracy; False Licenses Patents; Copyrights; Trademarks
2004 Priority Watch List PHARMACEUTICALS; Book Publishing; Piracy of CDs, DVDs, and VCDs Patents; Copyrights Unauthorized marketing approvals granted for patent infringing pharmaceutical products.   Losses to US industries in 2004 estimated at $72.5 million from Egypt.
2005 Priority Watch List Problems with Judicial System; Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Chemical Products; Book Publishing; Entertainment and Business Software Trademarks; Copyrights; Patents Reports that Ministry of Health has taken actions to undermine Egypt’s obligations under TRIPS.
2006 Priority Watch List Judicial Enforcement; Pharmaceuticals; Court System Operates Inefficiently; Copyright Piracy for Book Publishing, Entertainment Software, and Business Software Copyrights; Trademarks; Patents
2007 Priority Watch List Inadequate Judicial System; Pharmaceuticals; Inadequate Legislation; A Transshipment Point for Pirated and Counterfeit Goods Patents; Copyrights; Trademarks
2008 Watch List Book Piracy; Entertainment Software Piracy; Deterrent Sentences; Pharmaceuticals Patents; Copyrights
INDIA
2001 Priority Watch List Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Chemical Products; Inadequate Patent Protection; Piracy of Motion Pictures, Music, Software, Books, and Video Games Patents; Copyrights
2002 Priority Watch List Patent System and Protection of Exclusive Test Data; Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Products; Internet Piracy Patents; Copyrights
2003 Priority Watch List Piracy of Fiction Works and Textbooks; Piracy of Computer Software; Counterfeiting of Apparel, Pharmaceuticals and Auto Parts Patents; Trademarks; Copyrights
2004 Priority Watch List Inadequate Laws; Biotechnology Inventions; Pharmaceuticals and Agricultural Chemical Products; Piracy of Software, Films, Popular Fiction, and Certain Textbooks; Optical Media Piracy; Counterfeiting, Particularly for Medicines and Auto Parts; Court System Low; Few Convictions; Inadequate Border Protection Patents; Trademarks; Copyrights
2005 Priority Watch List Inadequate Laws; Ineffective Enforcement; Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Chemical Products; Copyright Piracy; Optical media Piracy; Cable TV Piracy; Border Protection Trademarks; Copyrights; Patents Passed legislation to provide for product patents for pharmaceuticals and agricultural chemicals.   Lost sales from Piracy in India to US companies estimated at $500 million.
2006 Priority Watch List Inadequate Laws (software, films, popular fiction works, textbooks, and cable signals); Ineffective Enforcement; Pharmaceuticals; Border Enforcement; Ineffective Police Action, Judicial Enforcement Copyrights; Trade marks; Patents
2007 Priority Watch List Inadequate Copyright Laws; Enforcement; Optical Disc Licensing; Inadequate Judicial System; Border Enforcement Trademarks; Copyrights
2008 Priority Watch List Internet Piracy; Pharmaceuticals and Distilled Spirits; Inadequate Police Action; Border Enforcement Trademarks; Copyrights; Patents
INDONESIA
2001 Priority Watch List Music and Business Software Piracy; Motion Picture Piracy; Game Software Piracy; Ineffective Judicial System Trademarks; Copyrights
2002 Priority Watch List Optical Media; Book Piracy; Ineffective Judicial System Trademarks; Copyrights
2003 Priority Watch List Seizing and Destroying Machinery and Materials Used in Piracy; Illegal Optical Media; Long Delays in Prosecutions; Lack of Deterrent Penalties Copyrights; Trademarks
2004 Priority Watch List Piracy of Optical Media Products (CDs, VCDs, DVDs, CD-ROMs); Deficient Judicial System; Pharmaceuticals; Trademark Counterfeiting, IT Products, Clothing and Soft Drinks Copyrights; Trademarks; Patents
2005 Priority Watch List Enforcement; Adequacy of Regulations; Pirated Optical Media Products; Trademark Infringement; Deficient Judicial System; Infringement of Information Technology Products, Clothing and Soft Drinks Trademarks; Copyrights Optical Disc Regulation took effect in April of 2005 (only a commitment on paper so far).
2006 Priority Watch List RE-establishment of a Ministerial-level National IP Task Force
2007 Watch List High Piracy Rates; Pharmaceuticals Copyrights; Patents
2008 Watch List Inadequate Application of IPR laws by the Courts; Pharmaceuticals Copyrights; Patents
ISRAEL
2001 Priority Watch List Transshipment Point for Pirated Versions of Russian-language Software as well as Audio and Video CDs and Cassettes Patents; Copyrights; Trademarks
2002 Priority Watch List Pharmaceuticals; Business Software; Court Procedural Delays Patents; Copyrights; Trademarks
2003 Watch List Corporate End-user Piracy; Business Software Piracy Copyrights
2004 Watch List Sound Recordings; Patent Infringement Copyrights; Patents
2005 Priority Watch List PHARMACEUTICALS; Biotechnology Patents; Copyrights; Trademarks March 2005 passed legislation that weakened protection for pharmaceutical companies. In December of 2005 passed legislation that reduced term of pharmaceutical patent extension granted to compensate for delays in obtaining regulatory approval of a drug.
2006 Priority Watch List Possible Copyright Legislation that Would Weaken Protections for U.S. Rights Holders of Sound Recordings; Data Protection
2007 Priority Watch List Pharmaceuticals Patents; Copyrights
2008 Priority Watch List Pharmaceuticals Patents
LEBANON
2001 Priority Watch List Cable Piracy; Piracy of Video and Audio Cassettes; Software and Book Piracy; Clogged Judicial System Copyrights; Trademarks
2002 Priority Watch List Cable Piracy; Computer Software; Optical Media Copyrights; Trademarks
2003 Priority Watch List Cable Piracy; Piracy of Computer Software; Book Piracy Copyrights
2004 Priority Watch List Optical Disc and Cable Piracy; Pharmaceuticals; Slow and Inefficient Judiciary Copyrights; Trademarks; Patents
2005 Priority Watch List Cable Piracy, Retail Piracy of Pre-Recorded Optical Discs, Computer Software Piracy, Pharmaceutical Counterfeiting, Inefficient Data Protection Copyrights; Trademarks
2006 Priority Watch List Cable Piracy; Copyright Piracy on Internet; Pharmaceuticals Copyrights, Patents In 2006 Lebanese Government formed a High Tech Crime Unit within police.
2007 Priority Watch List Cable Piracy; Copyright Piracy Copyrights
2008 Watch List Cable Piracy; Book Piracy; Pharmaceuticals Copyrights; Patents
TURKEY
2001 Watch List Optical Media Piracy; Counterfeiting of Trademarked Apparel Copyrights; Patents
2002 Watch List Pharmaceuticals; Banderole System Copyrights; Patents
2003 Watch List Piracy of DVD’s and other Optical Media Products; Weak Border Controls Copyrights; Trademarks
2004 Priority Watch List Data Exclusivity; Pharmaceuticals; Piracy of Optical Media (burnt CD-Rs); Lack of Deterrent Penalties; Low Criminal Penalties; Counterfeiting in Apparel and Designer Brands; Weak Border Enforcement Copyrights; Patents; Trademarks
2005 Priority Watch List Future Pharmaceutical Products; Agricultural Chemical Products; Commercial Photocopying of Books and Highly Organized Print Piracy; Street Piracy; Counterfeiting of Apparel and Designer Brands Trademarks; Copyrights; Patents
2006 Priority Watch List Enforcement Against Book, Retail, and Optical Disc Piracy; Judicial Inefficiency and Backlogs of Court Cases; Pharmaceuticals (start of the period of protection and the inappropriate linkage of the term of data protection to the length of the patent term) Copyrights; Patents
2007 Priority Watch List Book Piracy; Business Software Piracy in the Private Sector; Government Use of Illegal Software; Judicial Inefficiency; Pharmaceuticals Patents; Copyrights; Trademarks
2008 Watch List Pharmaceuticals Patents
UKRAINE
2001 Priority Foreign Country Optical Media Piracy; Pirated Compact Disks Copyrights Withdrew benefits under Generalized System of Preferences program in August 2001.
2002 Priority Foreign Country Optical Disk Law; Failure to Comply with June 2000 Joint Action Plan Trademarks; Copyrights Imposed $75 million worth of sanctions in January of 2002.
2003 Priority Foreign Country Failure to Adopt and Enforce Adequate Optical Media Licensing Legislation; Street Sales, Enforcement of Trademarks Trademarks; Copyrights
2004 Priority Foreign Country Unauthorized Optical Media Production and Distribution; Major Transshipment Point; Production and Export of CD’s and CD-ROM’s; Lack of Cooperation of Law Enforcement; High Levels of Piracy and Trademark Counterfeiting Trademarks; Copyrights
2005 Priority Foreign Country Failures to Implement Adequate Optical Disc Media Licensing Legislation; Border Enforcement; Criminal Penalties not Enough to Act as an Effective Deterrent Trademarks, Copyrights Commencement of Special 301 out-of-cycle review to monitor optical media law.
2006 Priority Watch List Border Enforcement; Lack of Criminal Penalties; Pharmaceutical & Agricultural Chemical Products; Remains a Transshipment Point and Storage Location for Illegal Optical Media Produced in Russia and Elsewhere Patents, Copyrights Reinstated benefits under GSP program. Implemented new OD amendments. Agreed to establish bi-monthly Enforcement Cooperation Group with the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine and U.S. industry representatives.
2007 Priority Watch List A Transshipment Point and Storage Location for Illegal Optical Media Produced in Russia; Retail Piracy; Border Enforcement; Internet Piracy; Pirated Business Software Copyrights; Trademarks
2008 Watch List Optical Disc Factories; Border Enforcement Copyrights; Trademarks
VENEZUELA
2001 Watch List Delays in Judicial System; Inadequate Copyright Laws Copyrights
2002 Watch List Pharmaceuticals Patents
2003 Watch List Piracy; Prosecution Levels Low Copyrights
2004 Watch List Pharmaceuticals; Minimal Prosecutions Patents; Copyrights; Trademarks
2005 Priority Watch List Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Chemical Products; Minimal Prosecutions; Music, Film and Software Piracy; Inadequate Legislative Proposals Trademarks, Copyrights and Patents
2006 Priority Watch List Copyright Piracy; Inadequate Legislative Proposals; Trademark Counterfeiting, Pharmaceuticals; Enforcement Copyrights, Trademarks; Patents
2007 Priority Watch List Copyright Piracy; Pharmaceuticals; Counterfeiting; Inadequate Legislation Patents; Copyrights; Trademarks
2008 Priority Watch List Copyright Piracy; Pharmaceuticals; Inadequate Legislation Patents; Copyrights; Trademarks
PARAGUAY
2001 Section 306 Inadequate Copyright Laws; A Transshipment Point Trademarks; Copyrights
2002 Section 306 Distribution Point for Pirated Goods Destined for Latin American; Pirated CD’s; Border Enforcement Trademarks; Copyrights
2003 Section 306 Weak Border Enforcement; Organized Crime in Piracy and Counterfeiting; Few Resources for Raids and Investigations Trademarks; Copyrights
2004 Section 306 Poor Internal Enforcement; Weak Border Enforcement; Organized Crime in Piracy and Counterfeiting Operations; Few Criminal Investigations and Raids; Lack of Willingness to Impose Deterrent Sentences Trademarks; Copyrights
2005 Section 306 Internal Enforcement; Border Enforcement; Low Penalties in Current Laws; Ineffective Prosecutions; Involvement of Organized Crime in Piracy and Counterfeiting Trademarks, Copyrights; Patents
2006 Section 306 Border Enforcement; Pharmaceuticals; Ineffective Prosecutions; Lack of Consistent Deterrent Sentences Trademarks; Copyrights; Patents
2007 Section 306 Porous Borders; Ineffective Prosecutions; Lack of Consistent Deterrent Sentences; Patent Protection Copyrights; Patents; Trademarks
2008 Section 306 Porous Borders; Ineffective Prosecutions; Lack of Deterrent Sentences; Pharmaceuticals Copyrights; Trademarks; Patents
AZERBAIJAN
2001 Watch List Not Yet a Party to the Geneva Phonograms Convention; Border Enforcement Copyrights; Trademarks
2002 Watch List Sound Recordings; Minimal Penalties Copyrights; Trademarks
2003 Watch List Sound Recordings; Inadequate Copyright Laws Copyrights; Patents
2004 Watch List No Protection for Pre-Existing Works or Sound Recordings; Weak Border Enforcement; No Convictions for Copyright Infringement Copyrights
2005 Watch List No Protection For Pre-Existing Works or Sound Recordings; Border Protection; No Criminal Laws For IPR Violations Copyrights; Trademarks
2006 N/A
2007 N/A
2008 N/A
KAZAKHSTAN
2001 Watch List Copyright Laws Copyrights
2002 Watch List Sound Recordings Copyrights
2003 Watch List Pre-Existing Works and Sound Recordings; Ineffective Criminal Penalties Copyrights
2004 Watch List Pre-Existing Works or Sound Recordings; Few Convictions; Minimal Penalties Copyrights; Trademarks
2005 Watch List Weak Penalties; Few Convictions Trademarks; Copyrights
2006 N/A
2007 N/A
2008 N/A
SLOVAKIA
2001 Watch List Deficient Patent Protection; No Civil Ex Parte Search Procedures; Border Enforcement Patents; Copyrights
2002 Watch List Pharmaceuticals Patents
2003 Watch List Pharmaceuticals; CD Burning; Copyright Piracy Patents; Copyrights
2004 Watch List Pharmaceuticals; Imports of Pirated Optical Media from Russia and Ukraine Patents; Copyrights
2005 Watch List Pharmaceuticals Patents
2006 N/A
2007 N/A
2008 N/A
URUGUAY
2001 Priority Watch List Outdat3ed Copyright and Patent Law; Criminal and Civil Copyright Cases Weak and Sporadic Copyrights; Patents
2002 Priority Watch List Literary Work; Border Enforcement; Major Transshipment Point for Pirated Products Copyrights; Trademarks
2003 Watch List Piracy; Transshipment Point; Inadequate Patent Law Copyrights; Patents
2004 Watch List Ineffective Enforcement; Confidential Test Data Copyrights; Patents
2005 Watch List Enforcement; Confidential Test Data Copyrights, Trademarks; Patents
2006 N/A
2007 N/A
2008 N/A
NEW ZEALAND
2001 Watch List Inadequate Legislation Copyrights
2002 Watch List Ineffective Laws Copyrights
2003 N/A
2004 N/A
2005 N/A
2006 N/A
2007 N/A
2008 N/A
MACAU
2001 Watch List Failure to Convict and Sentence Manufacturers of Infringing Intellectual Property Copyrights; Trademarks
2002 N/A
2003 N/A
2004 N/A
2005 N/A
2006 N/A
2007 N/A
2008 N/A
ARMENIA
2001 Watch List Not Yet a Party to the Geneva Phonograms Convention; No Known Convictions Copyrights; Trademarks
2002 Watch List Sound Recordings; No Convictions Under New Law Copyrights; Trademarks
2003 N/A