counterfeit goods. We urge Slovakia to provide adequate protection for confidential test data, introduce clear civil ex parte search procedures, and to increase the term for process patents to 20 years.
Tajikistan
Tajikistan has yet to fulfill all of its intellectual property commitments under the 1993 U.S.-Tajikistan Trade Agreement. Specifically, Tajikistan is not yet a party to the Geneva Phonograms Convention; it does not provide any protection or rights to U.S. and other foreign sound recordings; nor does it clearly provide protection for pre-existing works or sound recordings under its copyright law. In addition, there is weak enforcement of intellectual property rights, and criminal penalties for intellectual property rights violations have not yet been adopted as required by the bilateral trade agreement.
Thailand
Despite the passage of significant intellectual property rights legislation, substantial improvements in the court system, and a good working relationship between foreign business entities and Thai enforcement authorities, copyright piracy rates continue to be high. Thailand's remaining two pieces of TRIPS-related legislation – a Trade Secrets Act and a Geographic Indications Act – were introduced into the legislature in 2000 but have yet to be passed. Thailand has also indicated it plans to address significant concerns regarding data protection. We remain concerned over the increasing in the illicit use of business software and rate of optical media piracy. In particular, we look to the new Thai Government to move draft optical media legislation forward that will enhance the authority and capabilities of the police to act against the unauthorized producers of optical media products.
Turkey
In February 2001, the Turkish Parliament passed amendments to the Copyright Law designed to bring Turkey into compliance with its TRIPS obligations. The amendments enhance the protections under Turkey's copyright regime and add deterrent penalties and jail tenns to improve the effectiveness of enforcement efforts. This represents a significant step forward in improving Turkey's intellectual property regime. However, more work must be done to take effective action against piracy – including growing optical media piracy – and counterfeiting. In fact, counterfeiting of trademarked apparel also remains a problem. With its legal system upgraded and deterrent penalties available, Turkey should focus its efforts on sustained and thorough enforcement of intellectual property laws. We also remain concerned about false licensing of banderoles under the copyright law.
Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan has several remaining steps to take to fulfill its intellectual property rights commitments under the 1993 U.S.-Turkmenistan Trade Agreement. Turkmenistan is still not a party to the Berne Convention or the Geneva Phonograms Convention. Thus, Turkmenistan is not providing any protection for U.S. and other foreign sound recordings, nor does it provide protection for pre-existing works or sound recordings under its copyright law. Criminal penalties for intellectual property rights violations have not yet been adopted as required by the 1993 Agreement, and the Customs Code does not provide the proper authority for government officials
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