Egypt
Egypt remains on the Watch List in 2013. IPR challenges for Egypt include the failure to issue deterrent-level sentences for IPR violations when offenders are convicted and the need for additional training for enforcement officials. However, the United States is encouraged by positive reports about recent improvements in efficiency and effectiveness of the Economic Courts in IPR cases and the Information Technology Industry Development Agency's increase in raids and investigations against distributors and producers of pirated or counterfeit merchandise. The United States encourages Egypt to finalize long-awaited regulations to clarify border procedures for the destruction of counterfeit products and to provide customs officials with the authority to take ex officio action. Although Egypt is working to upgrade its trademark registration system, rights holders have expressed concerns that Egypt has issued certain registrations improperly. Rights holders continue to express significant concerns that businesses offering pirated television content are impairing the ability of legitimate distribution outlets to operate in the market, and that print piracy continues to harm domestic and foreign publishers. The United States urges Egypt to amend its copyright law to clarify translation requirements for copyright protection, appropriate presumption of ownership in copyright works, and other concerns. The United States looks forward to continuing to work with Egypt on these and other issues.
Finland
Finland remains on the Watch List in 2013. The United States continues to be concerned about the lack of product patent protection for certain pharmaceutical products. U.S. industry also has expressed concern that the regulatory framework in Finland regarding process patents filed before 1995, and pending in 1996, denies adequate protection to many of the top-selling U.S. pharmaceutical products currently on the Finnish market. The United States looks forward to continuing to work with Finland to address these and other issues.
Greece
Greece remains on the Watch List in 2013. While Greece made some improvements to its IPR protection and enforcement regime in 2012, including adopting amendments to its Trademark Law and taking enforcement actions to combat infringement, numerous and notable problems persist. The 2009 IPR Action Plan addresses many of these issues, and the United States continues to urge Greece to implement the plan. Greece should fully implement legislation and regulations that provide administrative fines for software infringement. Greece should also take steps to ensure that it has effective legal mechanisms to address piracy over the Internet, including by implementing existing measures that allow civil actions by rights holders concerning piracy over the Internet, as well as by providing ISPs with clear incentives to cooperate with rights holders in removing unauthorized content. The current lack of adequate authority to combat piracy over the Internet has exacerbated this growing problem. In addition,
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