Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ZAGREB164
2007-02-13 15:03:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Zagreb
Cable title:
NEW VIGOR IN CROATIA IPR ENFORCEMENT
how-toVZCZCXRO6223 RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHVB #0164 0441503 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 131503Z FEB 07 FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7299 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
UNCLAS ZAGREB 000164
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/SCE, EB/TPP/IPE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EINV KIPR HR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
SUBJECT: NEW VIGOR IN CROATIA IPR ENFORCEMENT
REF: A) 06 STATE 184074, B) ZAGREB 100
UNCLAS ZAGREB 000164
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/SCE, EB/TPP/IPE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EINV KIPR HR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
SUBJECT: NEW VIGOR IN CROATIA IPR ENFORCEMENT
REF: A) 06 STATE 184074, B) ZAGREB 100
1. Summary and Comment: The number of criminal charges brought by
the Croatian Ministry of Interior for violations of IPR statutes
rose 89% in 2006. Although Croatia's legal framework for IPR
protection is in accordance with international standards,
enforcement has often lagged. The fact that more cases are being
brought and that several individuals even received prison sentences
for IPR-related crimes, marks a very positive development and is a
welcome indication that the GOC is serious about the enforcement of
IPR. End Summary.
2. Data from the Croatian Ministry of Interior show an 89% increase
in the number of criminal charges brought against individuals in
2006 for violations of Croatian IPR statutes. The Croatian police
referred a total of 1,923 individual charges to the State
Prosecutor's Office last year, compared to 1,018 in 2005.
3. Breakdown of Ministry of Interior IPR statistics on criminal
charges filed in 2005 and 2006 for IPR-related offenses:
Unauthorized sale of copyrighted material:
2005: 640; 2006: 1,140;
Unauthorized production of copyrighted material:
2005: 254; 2006: 495;
Unauthorized use of trademarks:
2005: 122; 2006; 279;
Patent fraud:
2005: 0; 2006: 6;
Unauthorized performance of copyrighted material:
2005: 2; 2006: 3.
4. Data from the State Prosecutor's Office also indicate a trend
toward more serious sanctioning of IPR violations. During 2006, six
people were given prison sentences and 230 fined for IPR-related
crimes, out of 535 cases taken up by the judicial system. Judicial
backlogs in Croatia make it difficult to track the number of people
arrested or charged with those actually tried, as some cases take
years to work their way through the system.) Nevertheless, this
marks an improvement from years past and seems to indicate that the
judiciary is taking on a more assertive role in protecting IPR in
Croatia.
5. Information received from Croatian Customs shows thousands of
articles of counterfeit brand-name clothing, shoes and accessories
seized and destroyed in 2006. Croatian officials expect that, in
most cases, Croatia is not the destination country for such goods,
but rather a transit point for other markets in the region.
6. In a separate confirmation of an improving IPR environment, the
Business Software Alliance (BSA) in Zagreb reported that police
inspections of businesses suspected of using unlicensed software
rose 210 percent over 2005. The BSA estimates that Croatia's piracy
rate is currently around 50 percent, putting it squarely within
average of countries of Central Europe and ahead of other Balkan
countries.
BRADTKE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/SCE, EB/TPP/IPE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EINV KIPR HR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
SUBJECT: NEW VIGOR IN CROATIA IPR ENFORCEMENT
REF: A) 06 STATE 184074, B) ZAGREB 100
1. Summary and Comment: The number of criminal charges brought by
the Croatian Ministry of Interior for violations of IPR statutes
rose 89% in 2006. Although Croatia's legal framework for IPR
protection is in accordance with international standards,
enforcement has often lagged. The fact that more cases are being
brought and that several individuals even received prison sentences
for IPR-related crimes, marks a very positive development and is a
welcome indication that the GOC is serious about the enforcement of
IPR. End Summary.
2. Data from the Croatian Ministry of Interior show an 89% increase
in the number of criminal charges brought against individuals in
2006 for violations of Croatian IPR statutes. The Croatian police
referred a total of 1,923 individual charges to the State
Prosecutor's Office last year, compared to 1,018 in 2005.
3. Breakdown of Ministry of Interior IPR statistics on criminal
charges filed in 2005 and 2006 for IPR-related offenses:
Unauthorized sale of copyrighted material:
2005: 640; 2006: 1,140;
Unauthorized production of copyrighted material:
2005: 254; 2006: 495;
Unauthorized use of trademarks:
2005: 122; 2006; 279;
Patent fraud:
2005: 0; 2006: 6;
Unauthorized performance of copyrighted material:
2005: 2; 2006: 3.
4. Data from the State Prosecutor's Office also indicate a trend
toward more serious sanctioning of IPR violations. During 2006, six
people were given prison sentences and 230 fined for IPR-related
crimes, out of 535 cases taken up by the judicial system. Judicial
backlogs in Croatia make it difficult to track the number of people
arrested or charged with those actually tried, as some cases take
years to work their way through the system.) Nevertheless, this
marks an improvement from years past and seems to indicate that the
judiciary is taking on a more assertive role in protecting IPR in
Croatia.
5. Information received from Croatian Customs shows thousands of
articles of counterfeit brand-name clothing, shoes and accessories
seized and destroyed in 2006. Croatian officials expect that, in
most cases, Croatia is not the destination country for such goods,
but rather a transit point for other markets in the region.
6. In a separate confirmation of an improving IPR environment, the
Business Software Alliance (BSA) in Zagreb reported that police
inspections of businesses suspected of using unlicensed software
rose 210 percent over 2005. The BSA estimates that Croatia's piracy
rate is currently around 50 percent, putting it squarely within
average of countries of Central Europe and ahead of other Balkan
countries.
BRADTKE