Jordan Modernizing Intellectual Rights Laws in Continuing WTO Membership Drive - Minister
19 May 1998 AMMAN (J.T.) - Acting Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply, Munther Haddadin, on Monday said that Jordan is seeking to modernize its regulations and laws to meet international standards and conform to the requirements for joining the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
In an address at the opening of a two-day symposium on Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs), Dr. Haddadin said amendments to existing legislation include trade patents, invention rights and others.
Jordan is seeking to become a party to the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property, the Bern Convention on Copyright for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works, the 1961 Rome Convention for the Protection of Performers, Producers and Broadcasting Organisations and the Treaty on Intellectual Property signed in Washington in 1989, Dr. Haddadin added.
The minister stressed that during its recent meetings with the US, the Kingdom pledged that it would abide by laws guaranteeing IPRs in its plans to attract investments, seek the transfer of modern technology, and win licenses from mother organizations to manufacture drugs or foodstuffs.
Jordan has been inviting major world firms to invest and help transfer modern technology to the country, reduce Jordan's external debts and assist in meeting the requirements of the WTO, the minister Said.
Referring to the Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights Agreement (TRIPS), Dr. Haddadin said the private sector has expressed apprehension that Jordan's signing of this agreement would place further technical obstacles in the path of liberating trade and would weaken its production capacity. But, he said, there is no justification for such fears as Jordan can overcome these obstacles by directing modern technology towards the development of industry.
The government feels that amendments to the existing laws in Jordan should be introduced as soon as possible so that the country can conform to the requirements of TRIPS and other world organisations, said Dr. Haddadin.
In his address, Mr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, Chair of the Arab Society for the Protection of Intellectual Property Rights (ASPIPR), called on the concerned authorities to intensify efforts in what he called electronic trade, or trading via the Internet.
The ASPIPR is currently seeking to carry out scientific programmes entailing cooperation between Arab and foreign universities and institutions to introduce curricula dealing with IPRs for the benefit of students.
He called for inter-Arab cooperation in matters related to IPRs and in integrating their national economies at a time when the world is witnessing the formation of major economic blocs.
Professor Erich Hauber, also from the ASPIPR, noted:
“Attention and interest is directed towards large and worldwide operating enterprises from which we expect significant findings resulting in new products and processes which facilitate human life and improve the quality of life. In so doing, it is often forgotten that the system of patent protection was invented to secure for the authors of technical findings fair compensation for their achievements and to enable them to establish enterprises of their own.
“Therefore, it is necessary to support technically creative women and men by all means available to promote them and to strengthen their reputation and standing in society.
Above all, we have to make it possible for them to experience the success and realization of their ideas in their own countries,” Dr. Hauber concluded.
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