The Office of the US Trade Representative’s 2014 Special 301 Report is expected out shortly. The 301 Report places countries on a watch list for practices the US Government believes reflect “inadequate” intellectual property protection, even when these policies protect important public interests including health.
Public Citizen submitted comments in February to inform this year’s 301 Report. We address the TRIPS compliance and public interest value of specific rules and practices in India, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Indonesia, Peru, Philippines and Turkey. We also criticize 301 – the process should be discontinued entirely – and articulate several principles which could be applied to make meaningful the US Government’s relevant public health commitments, by not listing countries for public interest practices that comply with international rules.
Pharmaceutical industry hysterics and complaints this year have concentrated, in ample part, on India and Canada.
We take some of the complaints against India to task in this analysis for the US International Trade Commission.
We address Canada’s promise doctrine in this analysis.
USTR posted video of all testimony from the February 24 Special 301 hearing. Ours is here (all testimonies can be found in the sidebar): .
