US removes Saudi Arabia from intellectual property protection concern list

The Office of the United States Trade Representative has taken the Kingdom off its Priority Watch List in its annual Special 301 Report, after Saudi Arabia tightened up its IP enforcement procedures. (Shutterstock)

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has been removed from a US watchlist of countries it deems are weak at enforcing Intellectual Property rules.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative has taken the Kingdom off its Priority Watch List in its annual Special 301 Report, after Saudi Arabia tightened up its IP enforcement procedures. 

These efforts have been led by the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property, which has created specialized IP enforcement courts, conducted strong IP awareness and offered training to IP specialists in 76 different authorities to increase government compliance with the laws.

The authority has also established the permanent National Committee for the Enforcement of Intellectual Property to coordinate IP enforcement, issue reports and case studies and develop IP legislation and regulations.

The annual report identifies 27 trading partners of the US as being either on the Priority Watch List or Watch List.