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21
DEVELOPMENTS IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
1996
MAY
- A religious edict was issued by the highest religious authorities in Saudi Arabia on May 19 on the subject of software piracy. The edict must be used by all courts in Saudi Arabia as guidance in deciding cases involving software piracy.
- On May 10, the Panamanian Legislative Assembly enacted a new industrial property law (Law 35).
- Brazil enacted a new industrial property law on May 14, which improves many aspects of Brazil's industrial property regime, but some problems remain. It will enter into force in May 1997.
- The Korean Supreme Prosecutor's Office published a manual of guidelines for IPR enforcement which help address the difficulties caused by Korea's inconsistent application of its various laws.
- Estonia becomes party to Nice Agreement Concerning International Classification of Trademarks.
JUNE
- Oman promulgated a new copyright law (Royal Decree No. 47/96) on June 8, 1996.
- Amendments to Japan's trademark law, which are designed to simplify the trademark registration procedure and increase protection for well-known marks, were enacted by the Diet.
- A special unit was created in the El Salvadoran Attorney General's Office that now coordinates intellectual property rights investigations and seizures.
- The EU Council of Ministers reached a common position that essentially reaffirmed the flexibility of the 1989 Broadcast Directive as regards the quota provision and rejected efforts to expand the scope of the directive to include new audiovisual services.
- The U.S. and China concluded a report on Chinese enforcement actions on June 17. The report announced the closure of 15 CD factories and over 5,000 laster disc cinemas nationwide.
- Israel becomes party to the Patent Cooperation Treaty.
