Latest Updates
- USTR Lighthizer Announces Results of Special 301 Out-of-Cycle Review of Thailand
- USTR’s 2014 Special 301 Report (external link)
- Thailand’s Response to the USTR’s 2010 Special 301 Report
Supportive Letters from Members of the U.S. Congress
- Senator Jim Webb (VA)
- Senator Christopher S. Bond (MO)
- Representative Henry A. Waxman (30th District, CA)
- Representative James P. Moran (8th District, VA)
Other Related Documents
- Positive Comment from the US Copyright Industries (IIPA)
- One-page Summary on Thailand’s Progress in Protecting & Enforcing Intellectual Property Rights
- Thailand’s Special 301 Suppression Report
Background
|
|
Under the Special 301 provision of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended by the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988, USTR must identify Priority Foreign Countries (PFC), which are countries considered to deny adequate and effective protection for Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) or deny fair and equitable market access of persons that rely on IPR protection. | |
|
|
As a matter of administrative practice USTR will identify PFC based on the IPR aspects of the National Trade Estimate (NTE). In addition to PFC, USTR has established a Priority Watch List (PWL), Watch List (WL) and Special mention list for countries, according to different levels of inadequate IPR protection. |
|
|
|
The Schedule for implementing the Special 301 provision is as follows: |
|
|
|
|
November |
Public comments for the NTE report |
|
March 31 |
Deadline for USTR to submit NTE report to Congress |
|
April 30 |
Deadline for USTR to designate PFC, WPL, WL |
|
May 31 |
Deadline for initiating investigation of PFC |
|
October and January |
Out-of-cycle review determination(s) |