Each April, the US releases the Special 301 Report, which examines the intellectual property laws of its main trading partners.

The release generated international headlines last week as countries such as Canada and Israel found themselves on the “Priority Watch List” of countries that the US claims are the world’s worst piracy offenders.

In all, the US targeted 46 countries. In addition to the usual suspects such as China and Russia, Europe came in for heavy criticism with Finland, Norway, Spain, Italy, Greece, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland all on the Watch list.

The Report yielded predictable lobbyist support from groups such as the International Intellectual Property Alliance and the Motion Picture Association of America, who used the opportunity to chastise the countries on the list for failing to address their concerns.

Yet the lobby group victory may ultimately prove illusory. By wildly overstating its claims on many countries, the US has undermined its credibility and confirmed criticisms that the report lacks reliability or objective analysis.

Rather than increasing the pressure for reforms, it seems more likely to be characterised as little more than a lobbyist document that is best ignored.

Aside from official “ignoring” of the U.S. role as flunky for the MPAA and their peers, the real world is composed of individuals who will further ignore issuance of the report – if they even notice it.




  1. The Warden says:

    Hmmm, the lawyers for this group probably tend to vote and give money to which political party?

    We know if it happened to be the Republicans, we would have heard about it from the very biased blogger who shall not be named.

  2. Chris Mac says:

    “Yep the lobby group victory may ultimately prove illusory.”

    aLL YouR BaSe BeLonG To…

    illusory?!? really?

  3. TThor says:

    For a country to be on the ‘Special 301 Report’ is not desirable at all, trust me – all kinds of troubles is being laid out for exports when you’re on it. What on earth Norway did wrong is a mystery. Norway is probably the most submissive poodle in all in Europe when it comes to EU [not a menber remember] and US request for compliance. A simple ‘advise’ from the US and the 4.75 million will be kept well in line before you know it…. The Swedes however is a totally different matter; Pirate Bay – remember…?

  4. tcc3 says:

    They probably think Norway and Sweden are all the same country. =)

  5. John Paradox says:

    # 4 tcc3 said,
    They probably think Norway and Sweden are all the same country. =)

    They asked this beauty contest contestant to select the countries…

    J/P=?

  6. ECA says:

    Umm,
    for those that dont know, in Canada they have started TRYING(for years) to add RIAA/MPAA/MPA regulations to ALL USA trade agreements.
    EVEN in a public discussion they CLOSE the doors, so NO ONE knows WHAT will come out of the conference/discussions..

    Insted of making LAW, they are trying to change the trade agreements, TO MAKE IT LAW.

    The corps are trying to BACKDOOR the law structure. What has been introduced in canada is Overwhelming, considering canada’s laws are already stringent..

  7. ECA says:

    Unless you become more watchful in your states and check the spirit of monopoly and thirst for exclusive privileges you will in the end find that… the control over your dearest interests has passed into the hands of these corporations.

    Andrew jackson..

  8. chris says:

    Most movies I see previews for look like they are made for simpletons. I’d say that less than 5% of movies are worthwhile, maybe the movie industry should look into that as a cause of their declining fortunes. How about theaters that charge $10 for tickets and $5 for a box of candy?

    Studios focus on customer segments BECAUSE they have no taste(teenagers), that might be a problem.

    After they address those issues I’d be much more amenable to hearing about “piracy”. As it is, going to the theater is becoming largely irrelevant. All I need is my big TV, stereo system, and Amazon.

  9. deowll says:

    They owned the Bush admin and they own the Obama admin. Change you can believe in; not!

    Well at least the Obama White House is run by honest politicians if you define an honest politician as one who once bought stays bought.

  10. ECA says:

    movie ideal is to take a book Like
    Asimov’s ROBOT trilogy, and simplify it to 3 things happening, insted of adding the SECOND section of the trilogy of humans being PUSHED into space, and spreading OUT..

    Dune the movie, was cool…but the BOOKs were masterful.
    It took 2 movies series to GET THE POINTS’ across.

    Making movies “to go back to” just to figure out “what happened and was HAPPENING” are gone.

  11. ECA says:

    Audio??
    I aint trying NEW stuff, because Iv hated the PAST stuff, and IM NOT paying for CRAP I cant listen to..


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