TAIWAN
Taiwan will remain on the Watch List in 2007. The United States notes Taiwan's strong efforts and significant strides in improving its IPR regime this past year, including the passage of legislation to create a specialized IPR court, the creation of an IP section at the Special Prosecutor's Office, increased numbers of raids and seizures of pirated optical media, counterfeit pharmaceuticals, and counterfeit luxury goods, and increased arrests of IPR infringers. The United States urges Taiwan to continue its efforts to combat counterfeiting and Internet piracy and to pass pending IPR legislation, in particular legislation to provide liability for Internet service providers and to address copyright piracy on peer-to-peer networks. The United States also asks that Taiwan take steps to improve IPR enforcement, including: dedicate more resources (including training and additional personnel) to improve enforcement against piracy on the Internet, especially on TANet, the Internet Service Provider administered by Taiwan's Ministry of Education; take enforcement actions against the unauthorized use of copyrighted material on or near universities; and consider stronger criminal penalties for IPR infringement. The United States looks to Taiwan to continue its good efforts to address these remaining IPR concerns and will work closely with Taiwan to achieve further progress.
TAJIKISTAN
Tajikistan will remain on the Watch List in 2007. Tajikistan made progress passing IPR legislation this past year. The United States remains concerned, however, that Tajikistan has not yet fulfilled its IPR obligations under the U.S.-Tajikistan Bilateral Agreement, and encourages Tajikistan to take the necessary steps to bring its IPR regime into conformity with the TRIPS Agreement as part of its ongoing efforts to join the WTO. In addition, Tajikistan continues to have a weak enforcement regime that lacks criminal penalties for IPR violations, ex officio authority to commence criminal cases, and civil ex parte search procedures necessary for effective enforcement against end-user pirates, among other important enforcement measures. The Tajik Customs Code also fails to provide customs officials with ex officio authority to suspend the release of suspected infringing materials at the border. Legal reforms are also needed, for example, in Tajikistan's copyright law, which does not provide protection for sound recordings or pre-existing works. The United States also encourages Tajikistan to ratify and implement the WIPO Internet Treaties. The United States will continue to work with Tajikistan through the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement signed in 2004 and the ongoing WTO accession negotiations to address deficiencies in its IPR laws and strengthen IPR protection and enforcement.
TURKMENISTAN
Turkmenistan will remain on the Watch List in 2007. The United States remains concerned about Turkmenistan's lack of progress on IPR issues and its lack of fulfillment of its IPR obligations under the United States-Turkmenistan Trade Agreement. For example, Turkmenistan has neither become a member of nor implemented the Berne Convention, the Geneva Phonograms Convention, or the WIPO Internet Treaties. Turkmenistan does not have a separate copyright law and does not provide clear criminal procedures or penalties for IPR infringement as required by the U.S.-Turkmenistan Trade Agreement. Its Customs Code does not provide ex officio authority to seize suspected infringing material at the border, and there are no known civil ex parte search procedures. The United States urges Turkmenistan to adopt the legal reforms that will bring Turkmenistan into compliance with its obligations under the
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