In January 2005, Uzbekistan deposited its instrument of accession to the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works. Nonetheless, Uzbekistan requested a reservation to the retroactivity provisions in Article 18 of the Berne Convention. The Berne Convention entered into force, with respect to the Republic of Uzbekistan, on April 19, 2005.
Botswana became party to the WIPO Copyright Treaty and the WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty on January 27, 2005.
February
In February 2005, the U.S. Foreign Commercial Service, the U.S.-Vietnam Trade Council and the HCMC General Sciences Library organized a workshop on the translation and reproduction of copyrighted literary works. The workshop was well attended by both local Vietnamese and foreign publishers, who clarified licensing procedures and discussed current challenges to licensing U.S. books in Vietnam. The workshop also included time for local publishers to meet with representatives from major foreign publishing houses to negotiate the terms for obtaining a license to translate or reproduce texts in Vietnam.
In February 2005, the Philippines Congressional Oversight Committee on the Optical Media Board approved the implementing rules and regulations for the Optical Media Act (enacted in February 2004). The passage of the rules and regulations represent the first concrete congressional action on IPR since the passage of the Optical Media Act.
Indonesia became party to the WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty on February 15, 2005.
In February 2005, Kazakhstan financial police announced the beginning of criminal proceedings in Almaty in a significant software piracy case. The alleged violator was installing unlicensed Microsoft programs on computers he was selling.
March
In March 2005, the Egyptian Government provided training to inspectors working on trademark enforcement.
Japan joined the United States in March 2005 in co-sponsoring an initiative in APEC aimed at reducing trade in counterfeit and pirated goods as well as on-line piracy.
In March 2005, Hong Kong's Customs and Excise Department cracked its largest-ever corporate piracy case, arresting two men and confiscating 16 computers that had pirated graphic design programs worth more than $1 million installed on them.
In March 2005, Saudi Arabian Ministry of Interior conducted a major and successful raid in the Al Batha area in Riyadh. $1.2 million worth of audio-visual materials were seized and more than 250 people arrested.
