WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONIP/N/1/CYP/1/Rev.1
22 June 2000
(00-2538)
Council for Trade-Related Aspects of
Intellectual Property RightsOriginal:  English
NOTIFICATION OF LAWS AND REGULATIONS
UNDER ARTICLE 63.2 OF THE AGREEMENT
CYPRUS
Revision
By means of communications from its Permanent Mission, dated 26 April 2000, and 1, 2 and
20 June 2000, the following notification has been received from Cyprus under Article 63.2 of theAgreement.
_______________
With reference to the review of the Cyprus implementing legislation during the meeting of the
Council on TRIPS of 26-30 June 2000, the Permanent Mi ssion of the Republic of Cyprus in Geneva
has the honour to submit herewith the following doc uments, forwarded by the Registrar of Companies
and Official Receiver:
- The main dedicated laws and regulations.  (See Annex I.)- Other laws and regulations.  (See Annex II.)- Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (Parts I and II).
(See Annex III.)
- Conventions and Treaties on Intellectual Property Rights Ratified by Cyprus.
(See Annex IV.)
- Answers to the Checklist of Issues on Enforcement.
1
An addendum to this document, concerning a numb er of laws and regulations also contained in
the communication of 2 June 2000, will be circulated  once the corresponding texts of those laws and
regulations have been notified.
                                                     
1 See document IP/N/6/CYP/1.IP/N/1/CYP/1/Rev.1
Page 2
ANNEX I
MAIN DEDICATED INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAWS AND REGULATIONS
TITLE,
DATE OF ADOPTION AND
ENTRY INTO FORCEBRIEF DESCRIPTION
Copyright and related rights
Copyright Law (Nº 59/76)2,
12 August 1977 and 1 June 1978,
as amended by
Copyright (Amendment) Law Nº 63/77,October 1977, and
Copyright (Amendment) Law Nº 18(1)/93,
1 January 1994Protects:  scientific works, literary works,
musical works, artistic works, cinematograph
films, photographs, sound recordings, broadcasts,
against unauthorised copying, sale, rentaldistribution, lending advertising exhibiting in
public, the communication to the public.
Trademarks
Trade Marks Law, Cap. 2683,
as amended by
Trade Marks (Amendment) Law Nº 63/62;
Trade Marks (Amendment) Law Nº 69/71 (for
Certification Trade Marks);  andTrade Marks (Amendment) Law Nº 206/90 (to
include Service Marks)Provides for the registration of trademarks for
goods and services and certification trademarks.
Geographical indications
Trade Descriptions Law Nº 5/874,
as last amended in 1992Misleading descriptions are prohibited.
Article 11 of the
Trade Marks Law, Cap. 2683,
as amended byTrade Marks (Amendment) Law Nº 63/62;
Trade Marks (Amendment) Law Nº 69/71 (forCertification Trade Marks);  and
Trade Marks (Amendment) Law Nº 206/90 (to
include Service Marks)Geographical indications cannot be registered as
trademarks.
                                                     
2 See document IP/N/1/CYP/C/1.
3 See document IP/N/1/CYP/T/1.
4 See document IP/N/1/CYP/G/1.IP/N/1/CYP/1/Rev.1
Page 3
TITLE
DATE OF ADOPTION AND ENTRY
INTO FORCEBRIEF DESCRIPTION
Geographical Indications and Appellations of
Origin Draft Bill5
Industrial designs
Copyright Law (Nº 59/76)2 ,
12 August 1977 and 1 June 1978,
as amended by
Copyright (Amendment) Law Nº 63/77,October 1977, and
Copyright (Amendment) Law Nº 18(1)/93,
1 January 1994Are protected as artistic works.
Patents (including plant variety protection)
Patents Law of 1998, Nº 16(1)/986
Patents Law (Amendment), Nº 21(1)995
Patents Law (Amendment) Draft Bill5
Patent Regulations of 19987Supplementary protection certificate on plant
protection products.
Plant variety protection
Plant Variety Protection Draft Bill5
                                                     
5 The text of this law will be circulated upon receipt of  its translation into a WTO language.
6 See document IP/N/1/CYP/P/2.
7 See document IP/N/1/CYP/P/3.IP/N/1/CYP/1/Rev.1
Page 4
TITLE,
DATE OF ADOPTION AND
ENTRY INTO FORCEBRIEF DESCRIPTION
Layout-designs (topographies) of integrated
circuits
Copyright Law (Nº 59/76)2 ,
12 August 1977 and 1 June 1978,as amended by
Copyright (Amendment) Law Nº 63/77,
October 1977, and
Copyright (Amendment) Law Nº 18(1)/93,
1 January 1994
Protection of undisclosed information Such information is protected by private contract.
Contract Law, Cap. 1498
Contract Amendment Law 22(1) of 19955
                                                     
8 See document IP/N/1/CYP/U/1.IP/N/1/CYP/1/Rev.1
Page 5
ANNEX II
OTHER LAWS AND REGULATIONS
TITLE
DATE OF ADOPTION AND ENTRY
INTO FORCEBRIEF DESCRIPTION
Copyright and related rights
Copyright (Competent Authority) Regulation,
Nº 249/77
Trademarks
Trade Marks Rules of 1951, Suppl. III, p. 647
Trade Marks (Amendment) Rules of 1971,
Suppl. III(1), p. 907The fees part repealed.
Trade Marks (Amendment) Rules of 1984,
Suppl. III(1), p. 1189Service Marks – Repealed.
Trade Marks (Amendment) Rules of 1990,
Suppl. III(1), p. 1031
Trade Marks (Amendment) Rules of 1992,
Suppl. III, pp. 335-342
Geographical indications
Vine Industry (Regulation and Control) Law 65
to 1989
Vine Industry (Regulation and Control Law)
(Appellations of Origin of Wines and Spirits)
Regulations of 1999 Nº 151/99IP/N/1/CYP/1/Rev.1
Page 6
TITLE
DATE OF ADOPTION AND ENTRY
INTO FORCEBRIEF DESCRIPTION
Control of anti-competitive practices
Law on the Protection of Competition
Exclusive Purchasing Agreements (Block
Exemptions) Order (20/96) of 1995
Block Exemptions (Franchise Agreements) Order
(120/98)
Block Exemption (Technology Transfer
Agreements) Order (121/98)
Civil judicial procedures and remedies
Courts of Justice Law
Civil Procedure Rules, Chapter 12
Advocates Law
Courts of Justice Fees Regulations
Advocates Law Regulations
Copyright Law (Nº 59/76) ,
12 August 1977 and 1 June 1978,
as amended byCopyright (Amendment) Law Nº 63/77,
October 1977, and
Copyright (Amendment) Law Nº 18(1)/93,
1 January 1994IP/N/1/CYP/1/Rev.1
Page 7
TITLE
DATE OF ADOPTION AND ENTRY
INTO FORCEBRIEF DESCRIPTION
Trade Marks Law, Cap. 268,
as amended by
Trade Marks (Amendment) Law Nº 63/62;
Trade Marks (Amendment) Law Nº 69/71 (for
Certification Trade Marks);  and
Trade Marks (Amendment) Law Nº 206/90 (to
include Service Marks)
Patents Law of 1998, Nº 16(1)/98
Provisional judicial measures
The above laws.
Special requirements related to border
measures
Customs Law 86/67 Sections 39 and 49.
Draft Bill on the Control Against the Free
Circulation of Counterfeit and Pirated Products
Criminal procedures
Copyright Law (Nº 59/76),
12 August 1977 and 1 June 1978,
as amended byCopyright (Amendment) Law Nº 63/77,
October 1977, and
Copyright (Amendment) Law Nº 18(1)/93,
1 January 1994
Criminal Code, Cap. 154
Criminal Procedure, Cap. 155IP/N/1/CYP/1/Rev.1
Page 8
TITLE
DATE OF ADOPTION AND ENTRY
INTO FORCEBRIEF DESCRIPTION
Any administrative procedure and remedies
not covered above
NilIP/N/1/CYP/1/Rev.1
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ANNEX III
Agreement on Trade-Related  Aspects of
Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS)
PART I
GENERAL PROVISIONS AND BASIC PRINCIPLES
Cyprus Law agrees with all articles of this pa rt, except that the Treaty on Intellectual Property
in Respect of Integrated Circuits (1989) has not been ratified.
PART II
STANDARDS CONCERNING THE AVAILABILITY, SCOPE AND USE OF
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
SECTION 1:  COPYRIGHT AND RELATED RIGHTS
The Cyprus Copyright Law2 fully complies with the requirements of this section.
SECTION 2:  TRADE MARKS
The Cyprus Trade Marks Law3 fully complies with the requirements of this section.
SECTION 3:  GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS
A national law has been drafted which fully complies with the requirements of this section,
but it has not been enforced yet.
Together with the national law it is expected that the Lisbon Agreement for Protection of
Appellations of Origin and their International Registration will be ratified.
SECTION 4:  INDUSTRIAL DESIGNS
A national law that complies fully with this section has been drafted, but it has not entered
into force yet.
SECTION 5:  PATENTS
The Cyprus Patent Law6 that came into force in April 1998 complies fully with this section.
Cyprus has also ratified and is a member of:
- the European Patent Convention, and- the Patent Co-operation Treaty.IP/N/1/CYP/1/Rev.1
Page 10
SECTION 6:  LAYOUT-DESIGNS (TOPOGRAPHIES) OF INTEGRATED CIRCUITS
Cyprus has not ratified the Treaty on Intellectual Property in respect of Integrated Circuits,
but a national law on layout-designs (topographies) of integrated circuits is now being drafted.
SECTION 7:  PROTECTION OF UNDISCLOSED INFORMATION
As to the protection of undisclosed information, even though there is no specific legislation,
nevertheless the unauthorised use of undisclosed information is protected in Cyprus as a private right
under civil law.  The owner of a trade secret may take action as a tort for breach of duty arising out of
a business relation and may claim liquidated damages or, if appropriate, in cases where the disclosure
is a breach of contract or contract of employment, there are remedies under the Contract Law.  Theremedy may be an injunction or interim order to stop the use of the trade secret and one may also
claim and be awarded damages.
But there are no provisions constituting disclosure of confidential information a criminal
offence.
SECTION 8:  CONTROL OF ANTI-COMPETITIVE PRACTICES IN CONTRACTUAL
LICENCES
The Cyprus Law on the Protection of Competition is completely in line with the EU
Regulations on the subject.  (It covers monopolies, mergers, etc.)
There is no single legislation in Cyprus on intellectual property rights for anti-competitive
practices in contractual licences, except various orders, i.e.
- The Exclusive Purchasing Agreements (Block Exemptions) Order (20/96) of 1995,
which is in line with relevant EU Regulation Nº 1984/83 of 22 June 1983 on the
application of Article 85(3) of the Treaty to categories of exclusive purchasing
agreements.
- The Block Exemptions (Franchise Agreemen ts) Order (120/98), which again is in line
with EU relevant Regulation Nº 4087 of 30 November 1988 on the application ofArticle 85(3) of the Treaty to certain categories of franchise.
- The Block Exemption (Technology Transfer Agreements) Order (121/98), again in
line with EU relevant Regulation Nº 240/96 of 31 January 1996 on the application of
Article 85(3) of the Treaty to certain categories of technology transfer agreements.IP/N/1/CYP/1/Rev.1
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ANNEX IV
CONVENTIONS AND TREATIES ON INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
RATIFIED BY CYPRUS
1. The Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property in 1965 and 1983, Law 63/65
and 66/83.
2. The Berne Convention for the International Protection of Literary and Artistic Works in 1979,
Law 86/79.
3. Nairobi Treaty on the Protection of the Olympic Symbol (1I 1985), Law 9/85.
4. Universal Copyright Convention in 1990, Law 151/90.5. The Convention Establishing the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) in 1984,
Law 36/84.
6. The Geneva Convention for the Protection of Producers of Phonograms Against Unauthorised
Duplication of Their Phonograms in 1992, Law 21(III)/92.
7. European Convention relating to Questions on Copyright Law on Neighbouring Rights in the
Framework of Transfrontier Broadcasting  by Satellite in 1995, Law 29(III)/95.
8. Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Inte llectual Property Rights (TRIPS) (1995), Law
16(III)/95.
9. Trademark Law Treaty (in 1996), Law 12(III)/96.
10. European Patent Convention, Law 26(III)/97.11. Patent Co-operation Treaty, Law 27(III)/97.12. The Rome Convention for the Protection of Performers Producers of Phonograms and Radio
Television Organisations in 1999, Law 14(III)/99.
ALSO THE FOLLOWING CONVENTIONS AND AGREEMENTS
ARE ABOUT TO BE RATIFIED
1. The Lisbon Agreement Concerning the Protection of Appellations of Origin and their
International Registration.
2. The Madrid Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Marks.
3. The protocol Relating to the Madrid Agreement Concerning the International Registration of
Marks.
4. The International Convention for the Protecti on of New Varieties of Plants (U.P.O.V.).
(together with a new national legislation).
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