Ukraine's Trade Privileges On Line Over Intellectual-Piracy Concerns

Kyiv's checkered track record in the area of intellectual-property protection has once again attracted the attention of the U.S.-based International Intellectual Property Alliance (IIAP), an umbrella organization comprising seven trade associations representing U.S. producers of copyrighted content and materials. Last month, the IIAP called on the U.S. government to designate Ukraine a "priority foreign country" -- the most serious of three categories of countries considered problematic in terms of rights protection. More importantly, the IIAP also called for Washington to suspend Ukraine's trade benefits under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP). Such a move could cost Kyiv about $50 million a year. Washington will announce its decision before the end of April.

http://www.rferl.org/content/ukraine-sanctions-intellectual-property/24928537.html