Global Film and TV Industry: Nigeria Not Included on USTR's Watch Lists

Global Film and TV Industry: Nigeria Not Included on USTR's Watch Lists

IIPA Recommends 19 Countries to USTR's Watch Lists

In February, the International Intellectual Property Alliance (IIPA), a coalition of five trade associations including IFTA, submitted its annual "Special 301" report to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). The report recommends that due to lack of sound copyright law and enforcement, limited market access for U.S. creators, and unfair competitive practices, the following countries be placed on USTR's Priority Watch List (Argentina, Chile, China, India, Mexico, Russia, Taiwan, Ukraine, and Vietnam) and Watch List (Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, Indonesia, Peru, Switzerland, South Africa, Thailand, and United Arab Emirates).

Countries placed on this list are opened up to potential trade sanctions and tariffs. Illicit streaming devices (set-top boxes) and stream-ripping services were also cited as major challenges.

The complete report is available in PDF on http://www.ifta-online.org/.

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