In August 2004, Russian President Putin signed a law on commercial secrets, which provides for physical protection of proprietary commercial information from misuse by government employees.
In August 2004, the Vietnamese Ministry of Home Affairs approved the establishment of the Vietnam Literature Copyright Centre (VLCC). VLCC is a non-governmental and non-profit organization under the management of Vietnam writers' association. VLCC's stated purpose is to execute the contracts on copyright transfer between the center and authors; to help settle disputes among members; and, to coordinate with relevant international organizations in protecting literary copyright. VLCC also disseminates copies of laws, regulations and international conventions on copyright for literary works to its members, writers and the general public.
September
In September 2004, the Estonian Parliament adopted the amendment law to the Copyright Act (ALCA), which came into force on November 11, 2004. The ALCA amended the law in order to harmonize it with the European Information Society Directive 2001/29/EC, thus improving its substantive provisions along the lines of the obligations in the WIPO Internet Treaties.
In September 2004, the German Justice Ministry issued a first draft of its "second basket" of amendments to the copyright act. The "second basket" is designed to cover issues left over from the 2003 amendments that implemented the WIPO Internet Treaties.
In September 2004, the Government of Hong Kong prosecuted a business software end-use piracy case, winning guilty pleas from two of the defendants.
Paraguay's Specialized Technical Unit (UTE), which is part of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MIC) and supported by State Department INL funds, has stepped up enforcement efforts and cooperation with other parts of the Government of Paraguay, with the private sector and with neighboring countries. In September 2004, the Government of Paraguay issued a decree formally placing the unit within the Ministry of Industry and Commerce and narrowing its scope to focus on copyright piracy and falsification. In the past year, the unit has conducted 43 different operations targeted at importers and distributors of pirated and counterfeit goods.
In September 2004, Saudi Arabia's new patent law came into effect, replacing the 1989 law. The law covers patents, the lay-out design of integrated circuits, a variety of agricultural plants, and industrial designs.
October
In October 2004, the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture established a new plant variety registration office.
In October 2004, the Estonian Police, Customs and Tax Board, and the Border Guard Established a working group at the director general level to analyze information related to organized crime, including IPR-related offenses.
