Three things were evident in the Office of the United States Trade Representative’s (USTR) latest intellectual property (IP) report: China remains a problem child, IPR protection and enforcement has deteriorated in a number of countries, and online copyright piracy is a growing problem.
The annual review of the state of intellectual property, also called the Special 301 Report, looks at trading partners’ IP practices and determines which should be named put on the Priority Watch List or the slightly less egregious Watch List.
“This annual report spells out the progress or lack of progress in the fight against counterfeits, and other forms of intellectual property theft,” American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) President and CEO Rick Helfenbein said. “Counterfeit product hurts sales and counterfeit products made in questionable working conditions can damage a brand’s reputation, putting both consumers and workers at risk.”
Read more at Sourcing Journal.