TAIWAN
Taiwan will remain on the Watch List in 2006. The United States recognizes Taiwan's efforts to improve its IPR regime, including increasing the number of raids and seizures of pirated optical media, counterfeit pharmaceuticals, and counterfeit luxury goods. The United States notes the successful prosecution of the peer-to-peer Internet service Kuro and commends Taiwan for its passage in 2005 of amendments to its pharmaceutical law to provide a five-year term of protection against unfair commercial use of undisclosed test and other data submitted by pharmaceutical companies seeking marketing approval for their products. The United States recognizes the efforts of Taiwan's Department of Health to consult with private industry concerning draft data protection implementing regulations, which are expected to be finalized by June 2006. The United States looks to Taiwan to sustain the current level of commitment to making progress on IPR issues, and will continue to monitor further improvements, including Taiwan's efforts to combat the production of pirated optical media and proliferation of Internet piracy, to deal more effectively with unauthorized use of copyright materials on government and university computer networks, strengthen IPR enforcement actions against piracy and counterfeiting, to establish a specialized IP court, and to devote more resources and coordinated high-level government attention to combating IPR infringement. The United States also calls on Taiwan to strengthen border enforcement against transshipment of pirated and counterfeit goods, consider legislative amendments to address ISP liability, implement stronger criminal penalties for IPR infringement, and extend the term of copyright protection for works and sound recordings. The United States continues to look to Taiwan to address these remaining IPR concerns and the United States will work together with Taiwan to achieve further progress.
TAJIKISTAN
Tajikistan will remain on the Watch List in 2006. The United States remains concerned that Tajikistan has not yet fulfilled its IPR obligations under the U.S.-Tajikistan Bilateral Agreement, and encourages Tajikistan to take necessary steps to bring its IPR regime into conformity with the TRIPS Agreement as part of its ongoing efforts to join the WTO. In addition, Tajikistan has a weak enforcement regime that lacks criminal penalties for IPR violations, ex officio authority to commence criminal cases, and civil ex parte search procedures necessary for effective enforcement against end-user pirates, among other important enforcement measures. The Tajik Customs Code also fails to provide customs officials with ex officio authority to suspend the release of suspected infringing materials at the border. Legal reforms are needed, for example, in Tajikistan's copyright law, which does not provide protection for sound recordings or pre-existing works, despite its obligation to do so under the Berne Convention. The United States also encourages Tajikistan to join and implement the WIPO Internet Treaties. The United States will work with Tajikistan through the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement signed in 2004 and the ongoing WTO accession negotiations to address deficiencies in its IPR laws and strengthen IPR protection and enforcement.
THAILAND
Thailand will remain on the Watch List in 2006. Thailand made some progress in strengthening its IPR regime during 2005, including some enforcement efforts to combat piracy and counterfeiting. Despite these encouraging signs, however, piracy and counterfeiting rates remain high and enforcement actions need to be further strengthened and sustained. The U.S. Government remains concerned about the proliferation of optical disc pirate production at plants
