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 November


 * Sweden enacted legislative changes to provide ex parte relief for copyright owners, allowing the United States and Sweden to resolve the issue and successfully conclude WTO dispute settlement consultations.


 * The United States and Paraguay signed a Memorandum of Understanding and Enforcement Action Plan successfully concluding the U.S. Special 301 investigation into Paraguay's intellectual property laws and practices.


 * To further combat the problem of imported copies of legitimate products, Venezuela passed a new customs law that gives authorities the right to seize pirated goods at the border.

December


 * The Government of Kuwait signed a decree on December 22 banning the registration of copies of pharmaceutical products still under patent protection.


 * The U.S.-Vietnam Copyright Agreement entered into force on December 23, giving U.S. works legal protection in Vietnam.


 * India acceding to the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property and the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), which became effective on December 7.


 * Slovenia issued an executive order on protection of end-user software.

1999

January


 * Estonia enacted new copyright and customs legislation and amended its code of criminal procedures to strengthen IPR protection.


 * Turkey extended patent protection to pharmaceuticals.

February


 * The Government of Colombia issued a Presidential directive on government use of software on February 25.