Indonesia seen as improving in watch list

Indonesia seen as improving in watch list

JAKARTA (JP): The United States is expected to ease its stance
against Indonesia on the issue of intellectual property rights
following the recommendation of American businesses in Indonesia,
a senior official at the Ministry of Law and Legislation said on
Tuesday.

The United States Trade Representative (USTR) office is
expected to move Indonesia from the "priority watch list" to the
"watch list", when it draws up its new list of countries with
poor records of protecting intellectual property rights next
month.

Director General of Intellectual Property Rights A. Zen Purba
said members of the local office of the American Chamber of
Commerce had given favorable recommendations to the USTR office,
as had the International Intellectual Property Association.

Indonesia has been on the "priority watch list" for the last
three years due to rampant violations of intellectual property
rights, Purba said during a break in a discussion on global
trademarks.

The watch lists are designed to protect American businesses
from intellectual property rights violations overseas, he said.
"If a country on the priority watch list doesn't amend its
intellectual property rights laws, the United States can take
action to cut off or reduce the country's export quotas."

Indonesia has gained a reputation for violating intellectual
property rights on computer software and audio music, and for
the infringement of well-known trademarks.

However, Indonesia does not rank among the top four violators
in Asia, according to the USTR. These positions are occupied by
China, Korea, India and Malaysia, in that order.

The lists are updated annually by USTR and are determined by
the amount of monetary losses the United States suffers from
violations in a certain country.

"For Indonesia, the losses are not so large, that's one of the
reasons why the United States is considering shifting Indonesia
from the priority list," Purba said. "The United States also sees
that our government has shown its intention to stop the
violations."

The directorate plans to propose that the maximum fine spelled
out in the 1987 Law on Copyrights be raised from Rp 100 million
to Rp 300 million, as well as raising the maximum penalty of
seven years imprisonment, Purba said.

The government also has submitted three bills on copyrights to
the House of Representatives. The bills deal with industrial
designs, integrated circuits and trade secrets.

"Many countries don't even have legislation on intellectual
property rights," Purba said. "We will know next month whether
we've been moved (from the priority watch list) or not." (10)