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Kuwait observes int'l property day with record of tangible works

KUWAIT, April 25 (KUNA) -- The State of Kuwait joins the international community on April 26th in celebrating the World Intellectual Property Day, aimed at promoting public awareness regarding importance of protecting rights of individuals and institutions, namely their innovations and inventions.
Kuwait, in recent years, took serious steps forward in sphere of safeguarding intellectual rights, now a major preoccupation for State authorities, namely the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
The State has devoted great concern for protecting intellectual property because this issue affects citizens' daily lives; such as illegal trades in bogus medicines, auto spare parts and other basic products and commodities.
Both the executive and legislative authorities have given priority to enacting intellectual property laws, namely Law Number 4/1962, concerning patents, industrial designs, prototypes and commercial labels (1980), namely Law No. 5/1999 for intellectual rights protection.
The abovementioned law stipulates protection of innovators in sciences, arts and literature. Any infringement on the author, composer or inventors entail certain penalties.
Some of Kuwait's tangible accomplishments in this regard is establishment of Kuwait Society for Protecting Intellectual Property (2005) for promoting public awareness with respect of the property rights significance, bolstering laws and legislations in support of these rights.
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry issued, in December 2014, a resolution forming a committee for protecting intellectual property to spare the country being internationally enlisted among states that do not respect such rights.
Sheikh Salman Al-Saoud Al-Sabah, the society chairman, has called for developing the commission and transforming it into an independent authority, as such a step is necessary in the quest to transform Kuwait into an international financial and commercial hub.
Sheikh Salman had told Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) that upgrading the commission would be helpful for boosting the foreign investor's confidence and alleviating his (her) fears regarding protection of property rights.
Another national tangible initiative is hosting of the permanent headquarters of the intellectual property training center of the GCC Secretariat General.
Moreover in this this regard, Kuwait abides by international conventions and treaties regarding intellectual property. It was one of the first among Arab countries that joined the World International Property Organization (WIPO), signing its treaty in April 1998, in addition to its ongoing cooperation with the World Trade Organization and other concerned international agencies. (end) aas.rk