The U.S. Trade Representative should designate Ukraine as a “Priority Foreign Country” in its Special 301 proceeding because of “severe legal and copyright enforcement problems,” said the International Intellectual Property Alliance Friday in comments to USTR. The Special 301 report focuses on the extent of copyright piracy and market access barriers U.S. creative industries face in some overseas markets. The USTR should also “immediately suspend Ukraine’s eligibility to continue receiving Generalized System of Preferences benefits,” IIPA said in a news release. “Problems in Ukraine include rampant online and hard goods piracy, governmental decisions to act against the legitimate collecting society instead of against rogue societies, and the pervasive use of unlicensed software by businesses and government ministries.” The piracy rate and the level of copyright protection in Ukraine have worsened in the last two years, including “widespread” film and music piracy, IIPA said. The group acknowledged that Ukraine’s government has aided in multinational efforts to stem piracy in the country, but said the government never implemented the IPR “Action Plan” with the U.S. government -- and its recent actions “would weaken, not strengthen, enforcement.” IIPA also recommended the USTR place or maintain seven nations on its Priority Watch List: Argentina, Chile, China, Costa Rica, India, Indonesia and Russia. IIPA said 25 more nations should be placed or maintained on the Watch List: Belarus, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Ecuador, Egypt, Greece, Israel, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Mexico, Pakistan, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Vietnam (http://xrl.us/bofo8v). Public Knowledge also filed comments in the Special 301 proceeding. The group told USTR (http://xrl.us/bofo74) its comments were similar to those it made in previous filing cycles and weren’t specific to any country. The entire Special 301 process “takes a one-sided view of copyright law” that “promotes excessive copyright owner control over content and hurts developing countries’ ability to confidently adopt copyright laws that allow libraries to lend and preserve books, educators to use material in teaching, citizens to make social and political commentary using popular film and television shows, and a variety of other socially, economically, and politically beneficial uses,” said Rashmi Rangnath, director of the group’s Global Knowledge Initiative, in a separate statement (http://xrl.us/bofo8x). A “balanced view” of copyright would not only benefit other countries but also U.S. tech companies, which rely on limitations and exceptions “to make and market their products abroad,” she said.

Feb. 10-11 Silicon Flatirons Internet innovation event, Room 101, University of Colorado Law School, Boulder -- http://xrl.us/bnos9m

The U.S. Trade Representative should designate Ukraine as a “Priority Foreign Country” in its Special 301 proceeding because of “severe legal and copyright enforcement problems,” said the International Intellectual Property Alliance Friday in comments to USTR. The Special 301 report focuses on the extent of copyright piracy and market access barriers U.S. creative industries face in some overseas markets. The USTR should also “immediately suspend Ukraine’s eligibility to continue receiving Generalized System of Preferences benefits,” IIPA said in a news release. “Problems in Ukraine include rampant online and hard goods piracy, governmental decisions to act against the legitimate collecting society instead of against rogue societies, and the pervasive use of unlicensed software by businesses and government ministries.” The piracy rate and the level of copyright protection in Ukraine have worsened in the last two years, including “widespread” film and music piracy, IIPA said. The group acknowledged that Ukraine’s government has aided in multinational efforts to stem piracy in the country, but said the government never implemented the IPR “Action Plan” with the U.S. government -- and its recent actions “would weaken, not strengthen, enforcement.” IIPA also recommended the USTR place or maintain seven nations on its Priority Watch List: Argentina, Chile, China, Costa Rica, India, Indonesia and Russia. IIPA said 25 more nations should be placed or maintained on the Watch List: Belarus, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Ecuador, Egypt, Greece, Israel, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Mexico, Pakistan, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Vietnam (http://xrl.us/bofo8v). Public Knowledge said in separate comments to USTR (http://xrl.us/bofo74) its comments were similar to those it made in previous filing cycles and weren’t specific to any country. The entire Special 301 process “takes a one-sided view of copyright law” that “promotes excessive copyright owner control over content and hurts developing countries’ ability to confidently adopt copyright laws that allow libraries to lend and preserve books, educators to use material in teaching, citizens to make social and political commentary using popular film and television shows, and a variety of other socially, economically, and politically beneficial uses,” said Rashmi Rangnath, director of the group’s Global Knowledge Initiative, in a separate statement (http://xrl.us/bofo8x). A “balanced view” of copyright would not only benefit other countries but also U.S. tech companies, which rely on limitations and exceptions “to make and market their products abroad,” she said.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is adding South Sudan to the list of restricted destinations in its export and import regulations, it said in a Federal Register notice scheduled for Feb. 6 and effective that day. It said the change was made to bring NRC rules into conformance with U.S. government law and policy on South Sudan. It said the Executive Branch recommended that the NRC amend part 110 to add South Sudan to the restricted destinations list in § 110.29, while leaving Sudan on the embargoed destinations list in § 110.28. This means that exports of certain nuclear and byproduct materials to South Sudan may qualify for the NRC general license. Additional information is available via http://www.regulations.gov, Docket ID NRC 2012-0278, or from Brooke Smith, 301-415-2347 or brooke.smith@nrc.gov.

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service said it prepared a pest risk analysis for the import of fresh dates of the cultivar Barhi from Israel into the U.S. It concludes that application of one or more designated phytosanitary measures will be sufficient to mitigate the pest risk, it said in a Federal Register notice scheduled for Jan. 9. APHIS also said it prepared a treatment evaluation document that describes a new treatment schedule for Ceratitis capitata in Barhi dates.

CBP is changing the FCL Logistics Trade Enforcement Centralized Examination Station fee schedule, it said in a public notice dated Jan. 7 from the Los Angeles Field Office. The changes will take effect after a 30-day public comment period, if approved by the port director. The new fees are:

Jan. 8 FCBA Mass Media Committee brown bag lunch on legal issues for non-commercial broadcasters, 12:15 p.m., Drinker Biddle, 2nd floor, 1500 K St. NW -- http://bit.ly/UiKfm6

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is seeking comments on countries that parties believe deny adequate and effective protection of intellectual property rights (IPR) or deny fair and equitable market access to U.S. persons who rely on intellectual property protection under the so-called "Special 301" provisions of the Trade Act, it said in a Federal Register notice scheduled for Dec. 31. The information will be used, among other things, for creation of the 2013 "Priority Watch List" and "Watch List."

The International Trade Commission is beginning an investigation of the effects of import restraints on U.S. consumers and firms, the income and employment of U.S. workers, and the net economic welfare of the U.S., as well as the contribution of services to manufacturing. The resulting report will be the eighth update of the original report on import restraints delivered to the U.S. Trade Representative in 1993. The investigation will not assess import restraints resulting from antidumping or countervailing duty investigations, section 337 and 406 investigations, or section 301 actions, the ITC said. Comments are due by April 12, and the ITC plans a public hearing in connection with this investigation on March 19.

CBP Los Angeles/Long Beach is updating its port procedures for the disposition of merchandise refused by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), it said in a public bulletin dated Dec. 21. The bulletin also notified the public that the Federal Destruction and Redelivery Team (Team FDR) will process documentation on FDA refused merchandise, it said.