India on priority watchlist list for IPR
Q. What does USTR stand for in the context of IPR?- Published on 02 May 17a. US Trade Representative
b. US Tourist Representative
c. US Trading Representative
d. None of the above
ANSWER: US Trade Representative
Watchdog US Trade Representative’s (USTR) office has once again placed India on the ‘priority watch’ list in this year’s Special 301 report.
This is inspite of the country rolling out National IPR Policy last year.
India has been placed in ‘priority watch’ list owing to USTR’s view that India has not made adequate changes in its intellectual property (IP) laws and regulations.
India has been placed on the ‘Priority Watch List’ for decades now and is likely to remain in the ‘Priority Watch List’ category for having inadequate IPR laws and patent protection. Bac
Similar to USTR’s Special 301 Report, India is being ranked poorly in the IPR index being done by the US Chamber of Commerce’s Global Intellectual Property Center (GIPC).
United States Trade Representative (USTR): Know More- This is an agency that is part of the executive office of the President of the US.
- USTR creates an annual Special 301 list since 1989.
- USTR places those countries that have either national laws or regulations that detrimentally affect US trade or the rights of IP holders on this list.
- USTR places these countries in three categories.
- The most egregious violators are featured as Priority Foreign Countries (PFC), serious offenders are featured on the Priority Watch List (PWL), and less serious offenders in the Watch List (WL).
- The Special 301 list has continuously placed India most often as a PWL country.
