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- years in jail, in addition to the penalty for the underlying intellectual property crimes.
- New Zealand introduced legislation to prohibit the parallel importation of films and videos for a period of nine months from a title's first international release. The legislation is expected to pass in 2003.
- South Korea amended its Computer Programs Protection Act to address the problem of service provider liability for copyright infringement of computer programs taking place over their networks. The amendments will take effect on July 1, 2003 with implementing regulations still to be developed and issued.
- Canada revised its Copyright Act (Bill C-11) to explicitly exclude internet retransmission from its compulsory licensing regime.
2003
January
- As of January 1, data exclusivity became effective under Bulgaria's new pharmaceutical law.
- On January 1, Hungary acceded to the European Patent Convention and has amended the Hungarian Patent Act accordingly. On January 1, Hungary's 2001 Ministerial Decree providing data exclusivity protection took effect.
- By January 1, 2003, Slovakia had established a panel of three judges to adjudicate IPR cases at three regional courts, in Banska Bystrica, Kosice and Bratislava.
- On January 1, Taiwan established the integrated enforcement task force (IETF), which will ultimately have 220 members.
- On January 5, Belarus became party to the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV, 1991).
- On January 7, Estonia became party to the Trademark Law Treaty.
- On January 8, Guatemala became party to the WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty.
- On January 10, Uruguay amended its 1937 copyright law to correct most TRIPS deficiencies and incorporate several key elements of two WIPO Treaties, the WIPO
May 1, 2003
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