USTR Seeking Comments for Out-of-Cycle 'Special 301' Review of Thailand

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is seeking comments to inform whether and how the agency should identify Thailand based on its intellectual property protection regime or market access it provides to U.S. persons who rely on IP protection, USTR said. USTR on Sept. 15 announced it was starting an out-of-cycle review of Thailand’s “Special 301” status because of positive steps the country has taken on IP (see 1709180005). The agency put Thailand on the Special 301 priority watch list in its 2017 Special 301 report released in April. USTR will accept comments from foreign governments through Oct. 27, and from everyone else through Oct. 20. Thailand requested the review “in light of its efforts to achieve substantial progress” in its IP regime, USTR said.