Philippines removed from US IP ‘watch list’
The US government has removed the Philippines from its ‘watch list’ of countries that do not properly protect IP rights.
The news comes ahead of the impending release of the annual Special 301 Report, compiled by the US Trade Representative (USTR).
The report, which assesses US trading partners’ efforts to protect and enforce IP, contains a ‘priority watch list’ and a ‘watch list’ identifying the countries that are of most concern, as well as occasionally listing a ‘priority foreign country’.
It is the first time the Philippines has been removed from the watch list in 20 years, having been continuously listed since 1994 and first placed on the list in 1989.
According to a USTR statement the country has introduced laws to better protect IP rights and strengthen its enforcement.
“In recent years, the government has enacted a series of significant legislative and regulatory reforms to enhance the protection and enforcement of IP rights. Philippine authorities have also made laudable civil and administrative enforcement gains,” the USTR said.
"Although significant challenges remain, the commitment of Philippine authorities and the results achieved merit this change in status," it added.
In February, the USTR also announced that Israel had been removed from the watch list.
“Israel has passed patent legislation that satisfies the remaining commitments Israel made in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) both countries signed in 2010,” it said at the time.
In last year’s report, Ukraine was named as a ‘priority foreign country’—with the USTR identifying ‘serious concerns’.
The report said collecting societies are administered unfairly and unclearly, that there has been government use of illegal software and that anti-piracy measures are ineffective.
According to the Reuters news agency, US business groups are lobbying for India to be named the top offender this year.
In last year’s report, the US also highlighted a number of countries, including China, that have introduced important pro-IP measures.
The USTR is due to release the full report later this week.
