bilateral Trade and Investment Framework Agreement to engage the Government of Philippines on strengthening its IPR regime.
POLAND
Poland will remain on the Watch List in 2007. Despite improvements in cooperation between the Polish Government and the private sector on IPR issues, the United States is concerned that Poland did not make significant progress on IPR protection or enforcement efforts this past year. For example, Poland drastically cut its support for the National Police Intellectual Property and Computer Crime Unit, which had previously been responsible for an increase in the numbers of raids, seizures, and prosecutions against IPR infringers. Due to a reported shift in priorities, IPR enforcement efforts remained weak in Poland during the past year. The United States urges Poland to give increased attention to IPR protection and enforcement, including by strengthening border enforcement, eliminating delays in bringing prosecutions, addressing piracy on the Internet, and ensuring that courts impose deterrent sentences for IPR infringement. The United States also encourages Poland to strengthen enforcement legislation to combat piracy and counterfeiting. The United States is also concerned by Poland's inadequate protection against unfair commercial use for pharmaceutical data generated to obtain marketing approval. The United States encourages Poland to commit its resources and attention to increasing IPR protection and enforcement over the next year.
ROMANIA
Romania will remain on the Watch List in 2007. Romania improved coordination between law enforcement authorities and the private sector this past year. The U.S. copyright industries report that optical disc piracy decreased in Romania in 2006, but Internet piracy in the country increased, spurred by peer-to-peer networks and weak IPR enforcement. The United States encourages Romania to improve its IPR enforcement efforts, including ensuring that prosecutions are completed in a timely manner and that courts impose deterrent sentences against IPR infringers.
SAUDI ARABIA
Saudi Arabia will remain on the Watch List in 2007. The United States has been monitoring Saudi Arabia's progress on IPR issues since its accession to the WTO in 2005. While progress has been notable in several areas, including an increased number of IPR raids and a strengthening of Saudi Arabia's IPR legal regime through IPR amendments in connection with its WTO accession, Saudi Arabia should complete several IPR actions that it has initiated. For example, Saudi Arabia should increase transparency of its IPR enforcement regime, including in its judicial system; continue sustained raids and inspections to combat piracy and counterfeiting; ensure that courts impose deterrent sentences (including jail terms for serious offenses) against criminal IPR infringers; and improve border enforcement measures, among other IPR issues. Saudi Arabia has indicated that it continues to take steps to implement these measures and the United States urges Saudi Arabia to complete that process in the near term. The United States will work closely with Saudi Arabia to address the numerous outstanding IPR issues during the coming year.
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