On Thursday October 25th, the office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announced that one-third of Thai exports, including all seafood, would lose their Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) status effective April 25, 2020.

According to the USTR, President Trump decided to suspend $1.3 billion in preferential trade for Thailand based “on its failure to adequately provide internationally-recognized worker rights.” However, some pundits suggest that the loss of GSP status is a result of the growing U.S. trade deficit in response to Section 301 tariffs, as importers of Chinese products have sought alternative sourcing in many Southeast Asian countries, including Thailand.

Following the news, representatives from the Thai Commerce Ministry announced plans to enter negotiations with the U.S. in the near future.

Click here to view the full list of Thai products that will no longer be granted GSP status.

Shapiro will also continue to monitor and provide status updates as they become available.