The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) today released the 2018 Special 301 Report, identifying trading partners that do not adequately or effectively protect and enforce intellectual property (IP) rights or otherwise deny market access to U.S. innovators and creators that rely on protection of their IP rights. The Report calls on U.S. trading partners to address IP-related challenges with a special focus on the countries identified on the Watch List and Priority Watch List.
“The ideas and creativity of American entrepreneurs fuel economic growth and employ millions of hardworking Americans,” said U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer. “This report sends a clear signal to our trading partners that the protection of Americans’ intellectual property rights is a top priority of the Trump Administration.”
According to U.S. Government estimates, IP-intensive industries directly and indirectly support 45.5 million American jobs, about 30 percent of all employment in the United States. This Report draws attention to IP-related trade barriers and the steps foreign countries can take to open their markets to IP-intensive goods—steps that help to protect U.S. jobs, create opportunities for job growth, and promote free and fair trade that benefits all Americans.
This was excerpted from an April 2018 press release by the Office of the United States Trade Representative.