US Extends Vietnam Intellectual Property Trade Probe to February

The United States has extended its trade probe into Vietnam’s intellectual property rights protection by three months, with a decision now expected by the end of February. This Section 301 investigation, initiated in May, focuses on Vietnamese government policies regarding IP rights enforcement. The USTR had previously designated Vietnam a “priority foreign country” due to significant IP protection shortcomings.

• The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has extended its trade probe into Vietnam’s intellectual property rights protection by three months.
• A decision on potential trade measures is now expected by the end of February.
• The investigation, launched in May under Section 301, examines Vietnamese government acts, policies, and practices related to IP protection and enforcement.
• Vietnam was previously designated a “priority foreign country” by the USTR in April due to shortcomings in intellectual property rights protection.