The US Trade Representative identified Viet Nam as a top concern in a new report on intellectual property rights, in a move that could prompt a fresh trade investigation into a leading trading partner.

USTR argued Viet Nam had failed to address longstanding issues about IP protection and enforcement. Other nations, including China, were also cited in the document as doing too little to protect US trade secrets.

The annual report, released Thursday, follows a review of IP protection and enforcement in over 100 US trading partners around the world. It lists Viet Nam as a "priority foreign country,” marking the first time in 13 years that a nation has been placed in that category. 

USTR said the designation was reserved for "countries with the most egregious IP-related acts, policies and practices with the greatest impact on relevant U.S. products.” USTR will decide whether to start an investigation under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 within 30 days of the report. 

Viet Nam deals "strictly” with intellectual property violations, Viet Nam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Pham Thu Hang said in a statement posted on the ministry’s website. 

Viet Nam has improved its regulatory system, raised public awareness and strengthened international cooperation with the World Intellectual Property Organization, the US and other countries, Hang said.

The US needs to make "an objective and balanced assessment of Viet Nam’s efforts and achievements in the field of intellectual property protection,” she said.

China joined Chile, India, Indonesia, Russia and Venezuela on the "priority” listing with another 19 trading partners on the "watch list.” That latter list included the European Union this year.

Reasons cited for the EU’s inclusion were the recent provisional agreement on pharmaceutical legislation and digital copyright issues. 

"Using all the enforcement tools we have to address unfair trade practices is a top priority,” said US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in a statement. "We have rigorously reviewed our trading partners’ IP practices and expect to take action where needed to protect American innovators and creators globally.”

The report notes that Argentina and Mexico were moved from the priority list to the watch list this year due to efforts to address IP concerns. Bulgaria came off the watch list due to enforcement actions and criminal prosecutions.

Source: Thestar

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