COUNCIL DECISION of 21 December 1992 amending Decision 90/510/EEC on the extension of the legal protection of topographies of semiconductor products to persons from certain countries and territories
(93/17/EEC)THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community,
Having regard to Council Directive 87/54/EEC of 16 December 1986 on the legal protection of topographies of semiconductor products (1), and in particular Article 3 (7) thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
Whereas the right to legal protection of topographies of semiconductor products in the Community applies to persons qualifying for protection under Article 3 (1) to (5) of Directive 87/54/EEC;
Whereas this right can be extended, by a Council Decision, to persons who do not benefit from protection under the said provisions;
Whereas the extension of the protection in question should, as far as possible, be decided upon for the Community as a whole;
Whereas the Council has extended this protection on a permanent basis to persons from certain countries and territories by its Decision 90/510/EEC (2);
Whereas such protection has previously been extended, on an interim basis only, under Decision 90/511/EEC (3), which expires on 31 December 1992, for natural persons in respect of Finland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland;
Whereas such protection has subsequently been extended for companies or other legal persons in respect of Switzerland and Finland, in accordance with Commission Decisions 90/541/EEC (4) and 92/20/EEC (5) respectively, pursuant to Decision 90/511/EEC;
Whereas it now seems appropriate to extend the protection in question on a permanent basis to the abovementioned countries, which have an appropriate legislation protecting topographies of semiconductor products under their national law and which make this protection available on a permanent basis to those persons from Member States of the Community who benefit from the right to protection under Directive 87/54/EEC,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
The Annex to Decision 90/510/EEC is hereby replaced by the Annex to this Decision.
Article 2
This Decision shall apply from 1 January 1993.
Article 3
This Decision is addressed to the Member States.
Done at Brussels, 21 December 1992.