KARACHI: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has its focus on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) enforcement, and Directorate General of IPR is setting up Enforcement Directorate in Lahore, which would be third after directorates of Karachi and Islamabad.
Sustained and meaningful interaction between Directorate General of Customs IPR Enforcement and US agencies monitoring Pakistan and imminent promulgation of IPR Rules and launch of e-Recordation system have contributed Pakistan’s transition from Priority Watch List to Watch List.
“Priority Watch List” and “Watch List” countries are identified by the annual Special 301 Report. “Priority Watchlist countries” are judged by the USTR as having “serious intellectual property rights deficiencies” that require increased USTR attention. “Watch List” countries have been identified by the USTR as having “serious intellectual property rights deficiencies” but are not yet placed on the “Priority Watchlist”. The USTR can move countries from one list to the other, or remove them from the lists,
On the legal front, draft IPR Rules have been finalized by FBR and vetted by Law Division. At present, these are pending formal notification by the FBR.
The draft Rules are the outcome of two years of sustained consultations within Customs and externally with the Intellectual Property Organisation of Pakistan, all culminating into a consensual legal enforcement plan.
The automation plan of the IPR function in the light of the finalized Rules was approved by WeBOC RSD Committee last year, followed by extensive consultation with the Directorate of Reforms & Automation. The release of the IPR module is anticipated in June 2016.
In order to ensure dispute-free enforcement of trade related IPRs by Pakistan Customs at borders, FBR entered into a memorandum of understanding with IPO Pakistan last year. A significant milestone in this context was achieved in March 2016 with the inauguration of the IPO-controlled registered trade mark VPN at Custom House Karachi
The Directorate General of IPR Enforcement took a lead by initiating consultations with US Departments monitoring and handling IPR enforcement in Pakistan.