Pakistan Remains on US Intellectual Property Protection and Enforcement Watch List

Pakistan has remained on the US Watch List in the 2026 Special 301 Report, which reviews how America’s trading partners protect and enforce intellectual property rights.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative released the annual report on Thursday. It reviewed more than 100 trading partners and placed 25 countries on the Priority Watch List or Watch List. Vietnam was named the only Priority Foreign Country in this year’s report.

Pakistan was included among 19 trading partners on the Watch List. The USTR said these countries require bilateral attention to address underlying intellectual property problems. The list also includes Algeria, Argentina, Barbados, Belarus, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, Egypt, the European Union, Guatemala, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, and Türkiye.

The Special 301 Report is an annual US review of global intellectual property protection and enforcement. The USTR conducts the review under Section 182 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended by later trade laws. The report is used to identify countries where the US believes intellectual property enforcement needs improvement.

However, Pakistan was not placed on the stricter Priority Watch List. That higher category includes Chile, China, India, Indonesia, Russia and Venezuela. The USTR said it would engage intensively with those countries during the coming year.

The report also made several major changes this year. Argentina and Mexico were moved from the Priority Watch List to the Watch List after the USTR cited improvements in intellectual property policy. The European Union was added to the Watch List, while Bulgaria was removed.

Vietnam faces the strongest scrutiny. After naming Vietnam a Priority Foreign Country, the USTR said it would decide within 30 days whether to start a Section 301 investigation. If the investigation begins, Washington will seek consultations with Vietnam to address the concerns identified in the report.

The Watch List status does not automatically mean trade penalties. However, it keeps Pakistan under US monitoring and signals that intellectual property protection will remain part of bilateral trade discussions.