USTR Initiates Special 301 Investigation Against Ukraine for IPR Violations
The U.S. initiated a Special 301 investigation of Ukraine over concerns about the country’s treatment of intellectual property rights, Acting U.S. Trade Representative Miriam Sapiro said May 30. Ukraine was named a Priority Foreign Country in USTR’s Special 301 report, an annual look at intellectual property rights protection and enforcement (see 13050201). The report, released in early May, cited problems with Ukraine’s use of pirated software, online piracy enforcement and opaque and unfair administration and operation of copyright collecting societies.
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The USTR will hold a public hearing on July 18 as part of the investigation, and will publish a future Federal Register notice with procedures for participating. In a statement, Sapiro said the U.S. will consult with Ukraine’s government on the “serious concerns” the U.S. has with IPR in the country. Priority Foreign Countries are trading partners whose “onerous or egregious acts, policies, or practices” have the greatest adverse impact on relevant U.S. products, while also not entering into negotiations or making significant progress in negotiations to address those problems. Ukraine was the first Priority Foreign Country the U.S. has named in seven years.
Email ITTNews@warren-news.com for a copy of the USTR statement.