USCC 2025 Special 301 Review Comment

Ryan Denson Ryan Denson
Manager, International IP for the Global Innovation Policy Center (GIPC), U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Published

January 30, 2025

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What happened: On January 28, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce filed its annual submission with the United States Trade Representative (USTR) as part of the Special 301 process. This submission, a cornerstone of the Chamber’s advocacy for robust intellectual property (IP) protections, provides a candid and comprehensive assessment of the global IP landscape and calls out the persistent challenges that hinder America’s innovative and creative industries. Finally, the Chamber emphasizes how critical it is that America’s trading partners and key allies adhere to international best practices in IP, market access, and enforcement standards.

What we said: The Chamber’s submission is a critical tool to hold global economies and multilateral organizations accountable for their IP policies. This year, the Chamber included Taiwan and Thailand to its list of economies with significant IP concerns, particularly regarding patent protection. These additions reflect the Chamber’s commitment to addressing emerging challenges for American businesses and ensuring that all economies can utilize IP to foster innovation and creativity.

Specifically, the 2025 submission highlights several key areas of concern.

  • First, the submission draws attention to gaps in economies’ IP enforcement mechanisms that continue to harm American businesses;
  • Second, the Chamber highlights the concerns in a number of economies, spanning from Brazil and Mexico, to China, South Africa, and beyond, and illustrates the widespread need for reform;
  • Third, it emphasizes the importance of fair trade and the need to uphold America’s existing trade agreements, which are vital to protecting U.S. businesses and workers; and
  • Finally, it addresses the erosion of American leadership in multilateral organizations where anti-IP proposals threaten to undermine the global framework that supports and enables innovation.

Why it matters: Business and government must work together to champion an IP agenda that drives innovation, creativity, and economic growth worldwide. The Special 301 Report is a vital platform for advancing this agenda, providing a roadmap for nations to strengthen their IP frameworks. While progress has been made in some areas, the Chamber’s submission makes clear that many nations still have significant work to do in providing and protecting IP rights. The Chamber will continue advocating for policies that support American innovators and creators while fostering a global environment where innovation can thrive.

Read the Chamber's 2025 Special 301 Submission, below:

USCC 2025 Special 301 Review Comment

About the authors

Ryan Denson

Ryan Denson

Ryan Denson is Manager for International IP for the Global Innovation Policy Center at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.