The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has announced the removal of Uzbekistan from its intellectual property blacklist, on April 25. The Ministry of Justice confirmed this development, highlighting Uzbekistan's exclusion from the list of countries "under surveillance" for the first time since 2000.
This decision comes as a recognition of Uzbekistan's progress in addressing long-standing challenges in the realm of intellectual property protection. Notably, the USTR acknowledged the country's initiatives, including the enhancement of customs enforcement measures to combat the importation of counterfeit goods, which were solidified through amendments to the Customs Code.
Furthermore, Uzbekistan's dedication to addressing issues related to copyrights and patents at the highest policy levels was underscored by the USTR. The country's active participation in the intellectual property working group established as part of the trade agreement between the United States and Central Asia has also been commended.
In addition to Uzbekistan, the Dominican Republic has also been removed from the list, leaving a total of 20 countries remaining, including Belarus, Vietnam, Egypt, Pakistan, and Turkey. Meanwhile, seven countries, namely Argentina, Venezuela, India, Indonesia, China, Russia, and Chile, remain under "special surveillance" due to significant challenges in intellectual property rights protection.
The Ministry of Justice highlighted Uzbekistan's commitment to international agreements on intellectual property and emphasized that national legislation aligns with the norms outlined in the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS).
Earlier Daryo reported that a draft law on payment of compensation for copyright infringement has been submitted to the Senate of Uzbekistan.
Comments (0)