Country Reports October 20, 2005

SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS:

1. Patent (Amendment) Ordinance 2004 was replaced by the Patent (Amendment) Act 2005 on 4th Day of April 2005. The significant difference is that the present Act reverts back to the original position on Software Patents. (The Act now excludes computer program “per se” from patentability).
2. India and the United States have signed an agreement on October 17, 2005 designed to promote cooperation in science and technology, bridging the differences over intellectual property rights. The pact was signed by India’s Minister for Science and Technology Kapil Sibal and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
3. The Defense Ministers of India and Russia have agreed to finalise an agreement on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) soon. The agreement will open the gates for a veritable plethora of military cooperation pacts.

SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS:

In pursuance of Section 17 of the Pakistan Intellectual Property Rights Organization Ordinance 2005, the federal government has created the Pakistan Intellectual Property Rights Organization Fund with effect from 8th April 2005. Further to which the Government has set up an Intellectual Property Rights Organisation (PIPRP) under the Intellectual Property Rights Ordinance 2005. PIPRP is a regulatory body under the Cabinet Division and will enforce international standards for intellectual property rights in Pakistan. PIPRP is expected to play a pivotal role in the areas of pharmaceuticals, education, copyright, publishing software, entertainment industry and industrial research and technology.

SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS:

His Majesty King Gyanendra has promulgated four different ordinances in accordance with the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal, 1990. One of the Ordinances relates to the Amendment of some Nepal Acts Concerning Import and Export and Intellectual Property.