Summary
The USTR Special 301 Report 2015 assesses the intellectual property rights protection and enforcement in seventy-two countries, with India included on the Priority Watch List. The report highlights India's ongoing efforts to enhance its IP regime, including the formulation of a National IP Policy and measures to address IP violations both offline and online. Although no out of cycle review is scheduled for India this year, the USTR remains attentive to India's progress. The report underscores the expectation that recent initiatives will result in substantive improvements in India's IPR environment. The analysis reflects a structured and objective evaluation of India's position in global IP standards.
USTR has released the 2015 report on the adequacy and effectiveness of U.S. trading partners’ protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights. Seventy Two (72) countries were reviewed in this report, and Twenty Four (24) countries have been placed on the Watch List, and Thirteen (13) on the Priority Watch List. Countries in the watch list include Canada, Columbia, Brazil, etc. India, China, Russia, Indonesia, etc., have been placed on the Priority Watch List.
Last year, USTR had conducted out of cycle reviews for India, to engage and improve IP protection in the country. This year, no out of cycle review has been scheduled, but USTR noted that it will monitor India carefully, and decide the course of action. USTR hopes that the initiatives in 2014 will bring about substantive and measurable improvements in India’s IPR regime for the benefit of a broad range of innovative and creative industries.
With India’s initiative to put together a National IP Policy, and take measures towards enforcing IP violations offline and online, it is hoped that India will move up the amicable IP index.
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