Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04ABUDHABI403
2004-02-17 12:36:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Cable title:
UAEG AMENDING COPYRIGHT LAW TO BETTER PROTECT U.S.
how-tonull Diana T Fritz 03/15/2007 03:23:39 PM From DB/Inbox: Search Results Cable Text: UNCLASSIFIED SIPDIS TELEGRAM February 17, 2004 To: No Action Addressee Action: Unknown From: AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI (ABU DHABI 403 - ROUTINE) TAGS: ECON, ETRD, KIPR Captions: None Subject: UAEG AMENDING COPYRIGHT LAW TO BETTER PROTECT U.S. RECORD COMPANIES Ref: None _________________________________________________________________ UNCLAS ABU DHABI 00403 SIPDIS Laser1: INFO: FCS CXABU: ACTION: ECON INFO: P/M AMB DCM POL DISSEMINATION: ECON CHARGE: PROG APPROVED: AMB: MWAHBA DRAFTED: ECON: CCRUMPLER CLEARED: ECON: OJOHN VZCZCADI536 RR RUEHC RUCNWTO RUEHRH RUEHDI DE RUEHAD #0403 0481236 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 171236Z FEB 04 FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3222 INFO RUCNWTO/WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION COLLECTIVE RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 1335 RUEHDI/AMCONSUL DUBAI 3715
UNCLAS ABU DHABI 000403
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
DEPT FOR NEA, NEA/ARP, EB/IPC FOR WILSON
PASS GENEVA TO USTR
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON KIPR ETRD WTO USTR TC
SUBJECT: UAEG AMENDING COPYRIGHT LAW TO BETTER PROTECT U.S.
RECORD COMPANIES
UNCLAS ABU DHABI 000403
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
DEPT FOR NEA, NEA/ARP, EB/IPC FOR WILSON
PASS GENEVA TO USTR
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON KIPR ETRD WTO USTR TC
SUBJECT: UAEG AMENDING COPYRIGHT LAW TO BETTER PROTECT U.S.
RECORD COMPANIES
1. (U) UAE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION, DIRECTOR OF COPYRIGHTS
ALI AL-BALOUSHI CONFIRMED TO ECONCHIEF ON FEBRUARY 11 THAT
THE UAEG INTENDS TO ISSUE REGULATIONS UNDER THE 2002
COPYRIGHT LAW TO ALLOW FOR SPECIALIZED COLLECTING SOCIETIES.
THESE SOCIETIES ARE A PRACTICAL WAY FOR SOUND RECORDING
COMPANIES TO COLLECT ROYALTIES ON THE BROADCAST AND
PERFORMANCE OF COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL. ALTHOUGH THE 2002
COPYRIGHT LAW PERMITS COPYRIGHT HOLDERS TO ENGAGE IN
COLLECTIVE ADMINISTRATION OF THEIR RIGHTS, IT DOES NOT LAY
OUT SPECIFIC PROCEDURES FOR THE LICENSING OF SUCH SOCIETIES.
2. (U) Al-Baloushi verified that the Copyright Department
recently created the procedures for a collecting society to
obtain a license, and forwarded its language to the Ministry
of Justice for approval. He expects the UAEG to release the
regulations within a month, thereby immediately permitting
the establishment of collecting societies.
3. (SBU) Al-Baloushi noted that his office, in cooperation
with local police, had made significant strides in
protecting copyrighted material in the UAE. He noted,
however, that the Buraimi Oasis (a jointly-patrolled area on
the UAE-Oman border) remained the biggest problem for
enforcement. Al-Baloushi lamented that he had met several
times with his Omani counterparts, but that the Omani
authorities were indifferent to the cross-border trade in
Buraimi of goods violating IPR regulations. "They did a
good job of enforcement when they were trying to get into
the WTO, but now." Al-Baloushi posited that the Omanis
would better patrol their side of the border only if the USG
urged them to do so.
4. (SBU) Comment: According to the Recording Industry
Association of America (RIAA),the UAEG had said that
collecting society regulations would be issued in October
2003. The process of moving regulations through the UAE
bureaucracy is cumbersome, however, and probably the cause
of the delay. Because these regulations do not need to be
approved by all seven emirates, we are hopeful that the MoJ
will release them relatively quickly. End comment.
WAHBA
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
DEPT FOR NEA, NEA/ARP, EB/IPC FOR WILSON
PASS GENEVA TO USTR
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON KIPR ETRD WTO USTR TC
SUBJECT: UAEG AMENDING COPYRIGHT LAW TO BETTER PROTECT U.S.
RECORD COMPANIES
1. (U) UAE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION, DIRECTOR OF COPYRIGHTS
ALI AL-BALOUSHI CONFIRMED TO ECONCHIEF ON FEBRUARY 11 THAT
THE UAEG INTENDS TO ISSUE REGULATIONS UNDER THE 2002
COPYRIGHT LAW TO ALLOW FOR SPECIALIZED COLLECTING SOCIETIES.
THESE SOCIETIES ARE A PRACTICAL WAY FOR SOUND RECORDING
COMPANIES TO COLLECT ROYALTIES ON THE BROADCAST AND
PERFORMANCE OF COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL. ALTHOUGH THE 2002
COPYRIGHT LAW PERMITS COPYRIGHT HOLDERS TO ENGAGE IN
COLLECTIVE ADMINISTRATION OF THEIR RIGHTS, IT DOES NOT LAY
OUT SPECIFIC PROCEDURES FOR THE LICENSING OF SUCH SOCIETIES.
2. (U) Al-Baloushi verified that the Copyright Department
recently created the procedures for a collecting society to
obtain a license, and forwarded its language to the Ministry
of Justice for approval. He expects the UAEG to release the
regulations within a month, thereby immediately permitting
the establishment of collecting societies.
3. (SBU) Al-Baloushi noted that his office, in cooperation
with local police, had made significant strides in
protecting copyrighted material in the UAE. He noted,
however, that the Buraimi Oasis (a jointly-patrolled area on
the UAE-Oman border) remained the biggest problem for
enforcement. Al-Baloushi lamented that he had met several
times with his Omani counterparts, but that the Omani
authorities were indifferent to the cross-border trade in
Buraimi of goods violating IPR regulations. "They did a
good job of enforcement when they were trying to get into
the WTO, but now." Al-Baloushi posited that the Omanis
would better patrol their side of the border only if the USG
urged them to do so.
4. (SBU) Comment: According to the Recording Industry
Association of America (RIAA),the UAEG had said that
collecting society regulations would be issued in October
2003. The process of moving regulations through the UAE
bureaucracy is cumbersome, however, and probably the cause
of the delay. Because these regulations do not need to be
approved by all seven emirates, we are hopeful that the MoJ
will release them relatively quickly. End comment.
WAHBA