Page:Special 301 Report 1996.pdf/24

  Amendments to Singapore's patent law came into effect on January 1. The Act was approved by Parliament on November 1, 1995 and was signed into law by President Ong Teng Cheong on November 18.

The Duration of Copyright and Rights in Performance Regulations went into effect in the United Kingdom on January 1.

Amendments to Finland's Copyright Act came into effect on January 1.

In Japan, pre-grant oppositions to the grant of patents were replace with a post-grant system, effective January 1. In addition, a new accelerated examination system is available to patent applicants which will result in a decision to grant a patent or abandonment of the application within 36 months of the date on which accelerated examination is requested.

Korea reduced the duty rate on all computer software to zero, effective January 1.

Colombia's Constitutional Court in late January approved legislature's ratification of Colombia's adherence to the Paris Convention.

Chile became a member of the Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants.

<li>Haiti became a member of the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works.</li>

<li>Ecuador acceded to the WTO and committed to fully implement the TRIPS Agreement by July 1996.</li> </ul>

FEBRUARY

<ul style="list-style-type:circle;list-style-image:none;"> <li>The first TRIPS-related WTO dispute settlement proceedings were initiated by the U.S. on February 9 against Japan for its failure to implement copyright retroactivity obligations for pre-existing sound recordings.</li>

<li>The Nicaraguan National Assembly enacted legislation for adherence to the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property on February 15.</li> </ul>

MARCH

<ul style="list-style-type:circle;list-style-image:none;"> <li>As part of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) process, the 34 countries of the Western Hemisphere established a Working Group on Intellectual Property </li> </ul>