Arab world responds to $50bn IP fraud 'epidemic' (page 2 of 2)

He urged "stronger cross-border collaboration among countries in the Arab world" to combat piracy and to use IP protection "as an effective tool of economic development in the Arab world".

IP forums such as the UAE-hosted event last month and the Saudi-hosted Arab World Protect 2008 in October have a long way to go in educating Arab businesses and consumers on IP and forging effective tools in enforcing IP rights.

In the International Intellectual Property Alliance's (IIPA) major annual report released earlier this week, Middle Eastern Arab countries did not fare well:
• Bahrain was on the United States Trade Representative's (USTR) "Watch List" in the mid-1990s.
• Egypt is on the USTR's "Priority Watch List", and, describing the country as "a major copyright offender", the IIPA recommends Egypt remain on the priority list in 2008.
• Jordan was on the USTR's Watch List 1997-98.
• Kuwait has regularly been listed on the USTR's Priority Watch List and Watch List for more than a decade. The country is currently on the Watch List and is being urged to implement "several key pieces of IPR legislation (including amendments in the areas of copyrights, trademarks, geographical indications, patents, data protection, and enforcement) [that] have been pending for many years".
• Lebanon has been on the USTR's Priority Watch List since 2001. Of continuing major concern are "pervasive cable piracy" and "widespread end-user piracy of computer software among large companies, banks, trading companies, and most government ministries".
• Oman is not the subject of an IIPA submission for 2008, but has appeared on the USTR's Watch List as recently as 2001.
• The Palestinian Authority was on the USTR's Watch List in 1999, and in 2000 the IIPA recommended elevating the PA to the Priority Watch List because of rising concerns over pirate production for export. A scheduled USTR review has not occurred due to unrest in the area.
• Qatar first appeared on the USTR's Watch List in 1995 but is not currently listed. The IIPA in 2003 referred to "high levels" of software piracy "due to Qatar's failure to enforce its copyright law", despite "steps to bring its copyright law into compliance with international standards".
• Saudi Arabia has featured on the USTR's Priority Watch List and Watch List since 1993. The Kingdom is currently on the Watch List and in its 2008 report the IIPA recommends the listing be raised to the Priority Watch List.
• The UAE does not appear on any list and the IIPA has not filed a report on the UAE since 1999. The UAE is currently negotiating a Free Trade Agreement with the United States, including an IP chapter.
Yemen, Iraq and Syria are not mentioned in the 2008 IIPA report.