RIAA Addresses IP Protections in USTR’S 2024 Special 301 Report

WASHINGTON, DC (April 25, 2024) - Today, the US Trade Representative (USTR) issued its annual Special 301 Report regarding insufficiencies of copyright and other forms of intellectual property (IP) protections in certain countries. The Report reviews the current legislative, regulatory, judicial, and enforcement actions on IP in those countries and identifies the impact on US music creators while also highlighting systemic priorities for US government engagement to advance creativity globally. Among the cross-cutting priorities that reflect the music community's input into the Special 301 process, USTR Ambassador Katherine Tai acknowledged the critical importance of American creators' contributions to US jobs and economic growth, noting "Stakeholders from both unions and companies in the creative sectors have underscored the importance of copyright protection and enforcement to their livelihoods and businesses."

"The 2024 Special 301 Report provides a vital snapshot of the environment for music creators globally as well as a critical blueprint for US engagement with countries around the world to support them," commented RIAA Chairman & CEO Mitch Glazier. "We appreciate recognition of troubling trends in numerous regions that would harm the American music community, including limitations on streaming rights, insufficient enforcement, and stream-ripping piracy, and the acknowledgement of positive developments regarding copyright protection and enforcement. We encourage the US Government in future Reports to address adequate copyright protection in the context of AI as committed to by President Biden in the G7, and to oppose broad exceptions including text and data mining. We also urge the US Government to engage with countries subject to ongoing trade investigations, and to address deeply problematic proposals on copyright and contract matters, notably in South Africa."

"We thank Ambassador Tai and the entire interagency team for their tireless work on this vital process. RIAA strongly supports the US Government's intensive approach to promoting American creators internationally, including through existing and future IP dialogues with the European Union, India and the United Kingdom."