WASHINGTON – April 27, 2018 – BSA | The Software Alliance welcomes the 2018 Special 301 Report released by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) today. USTR has highlighted issues that impede intellectual property (IP) owners’ fair and equitable access to foreign markets. USTR’s continuing efforts to continue working with trading partners to remove market access barriers and enforce robust IP protection are more important than ever. BSA noted many of these issues – including policies that curtail or prohibit data flows, local technology requirements, and the high levels of unlicensed software use – in its 2018 Special 301 Comments submitted to USTR in February.

US companies’ ability to drive the US economy, create jobs, and lead technology advances depends on the elimination of market access barriers and effective IP protection by US trading partners. BSA urges USTR to leverage Special 301 and all other available tools to achieve these goals.