USTR Extends to September 30, 2005 its Review of Whether to Remove GSP Benefits from Brazil Due to IPR Concerns
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has issued a press release announcing that it has decided to extend to September 30, 2005 its Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) Country Practices Review of a petition to remove GSP duty-free benefits from Brazil due to inadequate protection of intellectual property rights (IPR).
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According to the USTR, the extension of the review to September 30, 2005 is a result of some initial positive steps taken by the Brazilian Government, as well as USTR consultations with U.S. copyright stakeholders.
The USTR states that the U.S. and Brazil expect to continue working together and monitoring the progress made in combating copyright piracy. As part of this effort, the GSP review of Brazil was extended, in order to allow time for Brazil's new National Action Plan to become effective in enforcing copyrights and reducing piracy. The focus of the extended review will be on implementation and enforcement of both existing laws and recently adopted measures.
(The USTR had previously extended the deadline for this review to October 1, 2004 and subsequently extended the review a second time, through March 31, 2005.
See ITT's Online Archives or 07/13/04 news, 04071320, for BP summary of USTR notice of results of GSP 2003 Annual Product Review and 2002 Annual Country Practices Review, etc., which among other things indicated that the Country Practices Review with respect to Brazil IPR issues was being extended 90 days (from June 30, 2004 through September 30, 2004). See ITT's Online Archives or 12/08/04 news, 04120805, for BP summary of the USTR's extension of the review through March 31, 2005.)
USTR press release (dated 04/04/05) available at http://www.ustr.gov/Document_Library/Press_Releases/2005/March/USTR_Announces_Continued_Review_of_Brazil_GSP_Benefits.html.