EC survey affirms RP efforts vs piracy

The European Commission released recently the results of the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) enforcement survey which listed the Philippines as a low priority country.

The survey, conducted in 2005 with 290 respondents from 63 countries, assessed the state of IPR infringements and how the violations are addressed as a guide for European businesses.

The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IP Philippines) identified the effective coordination among government agencies and the private sector in strengthening the enforcement of IPR.

"The survey results recognize the united effort in the campaign against piracy. This has strengthened the concerned parties’ resolve to be more aggressive in the overall conduct to protect and promote IPR," lawyer Adrian Cristobal, director general of IP Philippines, said.

IP Philippines leads the coordination of agencies under the National Committee for IPR (NCIPR) composed of the Optical Media Board (OMB), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), Bureau of Customs (BOC), and other concerned organizations. For 2006, the NCIPR has seized more than P1 billion worth of counterfeit goods to date. 

Similarly, respondents from the Philippines in the EC survey noted that "improved coordination of the groups responsible for IPR enforcement, and an increased number of raids of production facilities and retail establishments" as one of the achievements in IP in recent years.

Other significant developments according to the survey include:

•Adoption of the Optical Media Act in February 2004, the establishment of OMB which has authority to eradicate unauthorized production of optical discs, and the implementation of OMA in early 2005;

• Accession to World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Internet treaties;

• Single largest seizure of optical discs (over $8 million worth of pirated discs) in December 2004;

• Introduction of Bill No. 3308 in November 2004 to amend the existing Republic Act 8293 (IP Code) which, if passed, would make the Philippines’ IP law one of the most modern in the world.

Aside from the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, all members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), were placed in the low priority or Category 3. Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Korea were also in the same category. China was classified as the main priority (Category 1) followed by second priority countries, namely, the Russian Federation, Ukraine, Chile and Turkey.