The USTR office has announced today in its 2010 Special 301 Report on the adequacy and effectiveness of U.S. trading partners’ protection of intellectual property rights (IPR) that the Czech Republic has been taken off its list of watched countries.  The office in regards to the Czech Republic notes the following key developments:

“The Czech Republic is being removed from the Special 301 Watch List because of significant progress made over the past two years to control effectively its border markets. Moreover, a new criminal code raising the maximum penalties for IPR related crimes from 2 to 8 years imprisonment and criminalizing the manufacture and storage of counterfeit items came into effect January 1, 2010.“

The Embassy of the Czech Republic is very pleased with USTR‘s decision and acknowledgment of the vivid progress the Czech Republic has made in the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights.  The Czech Republic shall continue to work as a reliable partner with the United States to eliminate IPR theft.

For more information regarding the Special 301 Report, please click here.