BEIRUT: The International Intellectual Property Alliance has officially asked the United States trade representative last week to keep Lebanon on the watch list for serious infringements of intellectual property rights.

The alliance’s request is part of its overall recommendations to the U.S. authorities in the annual “Special 301” review of copyright piracy and market access problems in 41 countries.

Lebanon is one of 22 countries named for the watch list that includes Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Turkey from the MENA region.

The IIPA stated that piracy remains a significant obstacle to legitimate business in Lebanon despite the government reportedly making progress in fighting infringements.

The report highlighted problems including end-user piracy of business software that continue to cause enormous losses to software companies.

Book piracy in the form of illegal photocopying in and around university campuses remains widespread, the report added.

It said Lebanese courts are still weak in enforcing intellectual property rights as court processes do not deter further infringements or provide adequate compensations for copyright owners.

The report noted that the situation for copyright holders has improved over the past years through the establishment of the Interior Ministry’s Cyber Crime and Intellectual Property Rights Bureau unit, as the latter has provided raid support upon request.

It noted that copyrights were important to Lebanon’s economy and would contribute even more to the economy if intellectual property rights were more effectively enforced, establishing a proper legal framework for the country’s creative sectors.

It noted that Lebanon’s accession to the World Trade Organization is being delayed due to copyright infringements endemic in the country.

The IIPA noted that the Lebanese government has been working on amendments to its 1999 Copyright Law and related legislation in order to implement the relevant international treaties related to its accession to the WTO.

It said the current law provides a sound basis for IPR protection, but includes several deficiencies that must be addressed and that would lead to a more effective statute.

The IIPA called on the Lebanese government to take several actions that would yield immediate benefits to copyright industries.

It said authorities need to ensure that the CCIPRBU unit continues to actively run raids against piracy targets on request, including end-user software piracy; and to provide the unit with ex officio raiding authority, authority to employ investigative techniques to detect piracy and a regular operating budget.