Romania Remains On USTR Watch List Regarding Protection Of Intellectual Property Rights

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) annual “Special 301” report on the adequacy and effectiveness of U.S. trading partners’ protection of intellectual property rights shows Romania is still on the lower-level watch list.

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According to USTR's website, the Special 301 report provides a means for the United States to address its concern about the need to protect and enforce intellectual property rights.

The USTR said the estimated 18 million Americans who work overseas in intellectual property-intensive industries must be protected from intellectual property theft.

"Intellectual property theft in overseas markets is an export killer for American businesses and a job killer for American workers here at home. USTR's Special 301 report is important because it serves as the foundation for a year-round process used to secure meaningful reforms that bolsters our exports and supports American jobs in IPR-intensive industries," said U.S. trade representative Ron Kirk.

According to the report, Romania will remain on the watch list in 2010, although, in 2009, the country took a series of key measures to fight intellectual property theft and enhanced cooperation between the national Police and the General Prosecutors' Office.

The report said that, despite improvements regarding the enforcement of the intellectual property law, USTR is still concerned about Romania's failure to bring to trial those who breach the law, and apply sanctions.

USTR said the United States will continue to cooperate with Romania to enhance the means to apply the intellectual property law.

Belarus, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Finland, Greece, Guatemala, Italy, Jamaica, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mexico, Norway, Peru, Philippines, Spain, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Vietnam will also remain on the USTR's watch list alongside Romania.

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