Canada Added To U.S. Intellectual Property Priority Watch List

Summary

On April 27, 2018, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) added Canada to a "Priority Watch List" of countries it says fail to protect and enforce intellectual property (IP) rights.   

What Happened?

The USTR publishes an annual "Special 301 Report" (the "Report") for the U.S. Congress that evaluates the state of IP protection around the world. It does so with a view to identifying countries with shortcomings said to negatively affect U.S. interests. In developing the Report, the USTR seeks input from IP-related businesses and associations in the U.S., as well as U.S. embassies abroad. A country the USTR deems to insufficiently protect IP rights may be listed on the USTR's "Watch List" or "Priority Watch List", the latter reserved for what the USTR deems to be the worst offenders.