RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE WT/ACC/PAN/14
10April 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-1255)
Original: Spanish
ACCESSION OFPANAMA
Additional Questions onProtection ofIntellectual Property Rights
I. PROTECTION OFINDUSTRIAL PROPERTY INGENERAL
A. Question/Reply toNo.99(WT/ACC/PAN/8)
1. What istheprojected time-frame fortheLegislative Assembly todecide onthedraft
Industrial Property Law(currently initsSecond Reading)?
2. Areanydifficulties orchanges tothetextenvisaged?
3. What further legislative procedure, ifany,isneeded before thedraft Lawenters intoforce?
ThedraftIndustrial Property Lawisnowbefore theLegislative Assembly; itisexpected to
beapproved during thecurrent legislative period, which endsinJune1996. Amendments tothedraft,
including thoseproposed bymembers, arebeing studied withaviewtoimproving theprocedures needed
toguarantee enforcement ofintellectual property rights. Forthispurpose, themeasures tosuspend
movement ofanymerchandise thatinfringes intellectual property rights arebeing improved, asare
theorganization andadministration oftheadministrative andjudicial procedures. Panama willsupply
theSecretariat withacopyofthelawassoonasitisapproved.
B. Question/Reply toNo.100
4. When doesPanama plantoapply formembership oftheUnion fortheProtection ofNew
Varieties ofPlants (UPOV)?
Panama reiterates thatitwillprotect newvarieties ofplants through theprovisions ofthe
International Union fortheProtection ofNewVarieties ofPlants (UPOV). Anational seminar organized
byUPOV andtheMinistry ofTrade andIndustry oftheRepublic ofPanama isnowinprogress in
Panama onthenature andraison d'êtreofprotection ofnewvarieties ofplants. Thisisaseminar
toprepare forPanama 'sapplication toUPOV.
C. Question/Reply toNo.102
5. Could Panama supply further details onthecriteria foraninternational convention to
have immediate effect?
International conventions andtreaties enter intoforce inPanama through passage oftheir
respective lawsbytheLegislative Assembly. They usually takeimmediate effect (from thetimethe
lawisenacted), although thelawitselfmayestablish aperiod oftransition, known as"vacatio legis",
before itsentry intoforce.
./.WT/ACC/PAN/14
Page2
II. COPYRIGHT
A. Question/Reply toNo.108
6. Could Panama expand onitsreply? What isthescope oftheprotection ofcomputer
programmes inPanama?
Panama provides specific protection forcomputer programmes through LawNo.15of1994,
LawonCopyright andRelated Rights, which hasbeensupplied totheSecretariat. Thespecific Articles
areNos. 17and18(Chapter II,Computer Programmes).
III. TRADEMARKS
A. Question/Reply No.113(131, 132and133)
7. Could Panama provide more details (than inWT/ACC/PAN/9) concerning the
"specific rules" andexpand onthe"idea ofwell-known trademarks" asreferred tointhe
draft Industrial Property Law?
Improvements tothedraftIndustrial Property Lawinclude amoreprecise definition ofafamous
mark andawell-known mark. "Afamous orrenowned mark isonewhich, asaresult ofintensive
useinthemarket andforpublicity, hasbeenwidely disseminated without losing itsdistinctiveness
andisknown tothegeneral public. Awell-known mark isonewiththesamecharacteristics, butknown
tothegroup ofconsumers atwhich itisdirected."
IV. ENFORCEMENT
A. Question/Reply toNos. 118and199
8. Does Panama plantointroduce suspension ofthefreemovement ofmerchandise that
infringes intellectual property rights intoitslegal system?
Seereply toquestion No.3.
B. Question/Reply toNo.135
9. Could Panama explain howthedraft Industrial Property Lawandexisting judicial and
criminal procedures bring itsdomestic legislation intolinewiththeinternational provisions
onintellectual property (viz.Section 4oftheTRIPS Agreement)?
Panama hasexplained, throughout itsaccession process, howithasadjusted itsdomestic
legislation totheTRIPS requirements. Thefirstspecific adjustment concerned copyright andwasmade
through theenactment ofLawNo.15of1994. Itincludes summary administrative andjudicial
proceduresforenforcingthoserights.Likewise,thedraftLawonIndustrialPropertyunderconsideration
intheLegislativeAssemblyincludesadministrativeandjudicialproceduresaswellasmonetarysanctions
andprison sentences forinfringement ofindustrial property rights. Forthejudicial enforcement of
suchlaws, theLawgoverning theDefence ofFreeCompetition andother measures creates special
courts thatwillsettle disputes onintellectual property, among others. Indefault ofaspecific provision,
thegeneral judicial andcriminal legislation willapply.
TheaboveisreinforcedbyPanama'srecentapprovaloftheParisConvention(IndustrialProperty)
andtheBerne Convention (Copyright).