RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE IP/Q/SVK/1
23October 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-4430)
Original: English Council forTrade-Related Aspects of
Intellectual Property Rights
REVIEW OFLEGISLATION ONCOPYRIGHT AND RELATED RIGHTS
Slovak Republic
Thepresent document reproduces theintroductory statement made bythedelegation ofthe
Slovak Republic inthereview oflegislation oncopyright andrelated rights attheCouncil 'smeeting
of22to25July19961andthequestions puttoit.Responses tothese questions willbecirculated as
anaddendum tothisdocument.
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I. INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT
TheSlovak Republic isinthefinalstage ofpreparation ofanewcopyright law. (This was
indicated indocument IP/N/1/SVK/1.) Ournewlawfullyreflects thechanges inournational legal
system andnewconditions andneeds intheareaofcopyright andrelated lawsandregulations asa
result ofthetradeliberalization process. Thisnewlawalsoprovides protection forrights andobligations
under theParis Convention, Berne Convention fortheprotection ofliterary andartistic works, Rome
Convention fortheprotection ofperformers, producers ofphonograms andbroadcasting organizations
andGeneva Convention fortheprotection ofproducers ofphonograms against unauthorized duplication
oftheirphonograms.
Because oftheabove-mentioned ongoing process offinalizing ofapproval procedures ofthe
newcopyright law,theSlovak Republic hasnotnotified itslegislation under Article 63.2oftheTRIPS
Agreement.
According toourlatest information, thislawistobeapproved inashort period ofthetime.
Immediately afterapproval, itwillbetranslated intoaworking language andnotified totheTRIPS
Council.
Iwould liketothank theUSdelegation fortheirquestions, distributed atyesterday 'smeeting.
Iwillcommunicate them totheexperts inmycapital. Wewillprovide ourreplies inwritten form
assoonastheabove-mentioned newcopyright lawisformally approved.
./.
1Theminutes ofthemeeting have been circulated indocument IP/C/M/8.IP/Q/SVK/1
Page2
II. QUESTIONS POSED BYTHE UNITED STATES
1. Please explain whether andhowthelawoftheSlovak Republic provides protection forworks,
phonograms andperformances fromother WTO Members, andwhether andhowitdoessoonthebasis
ofnational treatment, asrequired byTRIPS Article 3(generally, withrespect toallcopyrights and
neighbouring rights) andArticle 9.1(incorporating Berne Article 5(1)). Inparticular, please explain
hownational treatment isafforded withrespect tothedistribution oflevies forprivate copying under
therelevant provisions ofthelawoftheSlovak Republic.
2. DoestheSlovak Republic apply the"rule oftheshorter term" tophonograms andperformances
fromother WTO Members? Ifso,please explain howyoujustify suchaction under TRIPS Article 4.
3. Please explain whether andhowtheSlovak Republic protects against boththedirect andindirect
reproduction ofphonograms asrequired byTRIPS Article 14.2, including bydigital transmission in
thecontext ofinteractive services.
4. Please explain whether andhowtheSlovak Republic provides fullretroactive protection to
works, phonograms andperformances fromother WTO Members, asrequired byTRIPS Articles 9.1,
14.6and70.2, eachofwhich incorporate byreference orrelyupon Berne Article 18.Please give
thedatebacktowhich suchprotection extends withrespect toeachcategory ofsubject matter.