Thailand still on US trade watch-list
THAILAND remains on the priority watch list (PWL) of a US government agency responsible for developing and recommending trade policy, according to a new report.
The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) on Friday released the 2017 “Special 301” report, reviewing global developments on trade and intellectual property (IP) and identifying trading partners with harmful records on protection, enforcement, or market access for US innovators and creators.
The USTR said that the United States is prepared to review the PWL status if Thailand continues taking positive steps and makes substantial progress in addressing its concerns.
These include widespread availability of counterfeit and pirated goods, lack of effective and deterrent enforcement measures, a backlog in pending patent applications, and widespread use of unlicensed software in the public and private sectors.
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