Indonesia Faces US IP Scrutiny, Placed on Priority Watch List for 2026

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – The United States government, through the Office of the United States Trade Representative, has again placed Indonesia on the Priority Watch List regarding the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights. This is outlined in the annual Special 301 Report for 2026, released on 30 April 2026. “Using all the enforcement tools at our disposal to address unfair trade practices is a top priority,” said US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in an official statement, quoted from the USTR website on Saturday (2 May 2026). In the report, the USTR placed six countries on the Priority Watch List, namely Chile, China, India, Indonesia, Russia, and Venezuela. These countries are assessed to have serious issues related to the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights, making them a focus for intensive US government engagement moving forward. The USTR stated it will seek to engage intensively with these countries, as appropriate, over the coming year. In the 2025 report, Indonesia was also listed on the Priority Watch List alongside several other countries with similar issues. The Special 301 Report is an annual review of the global state of intellectual property protection and enforcement conducted by the USTR. The report is prepared based on Section 182 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended by various regulations, including the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988 and the Uruguay Round Agreements Act. In addition to Indonesia, Vietnam is the only country designated as a Priority Foreign Country, the category with the most serious concern. As a consequence, the USTR will decide within 30 days whether to initiate an investigation under Section 301 against Vietnam. If an investigation is conducted, the US will request consultations with the Vietnamese government to resolve the identified issues.