COPYRIGHT

Kuwait is a member of the World Trade Organization and a signatory to the Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights. Kuwait is also a member of the World Intellectual Property Organization. In 1999 to comply with Kuwait's obligations under World Trade Organization agreements a comprehensive legislation to protect intellectual property was promulgated by Amiri Decree under article 71 of the constitution. These laws were approved by the National Assembly on 23rd December 1999 as law number 64/1999 governing Intellectual Property rights..

Law No. 64 of 1999 governs copyrights and provides copyright protection and penalties for copyright infringement. With respect to non-Kuwaitis, the law applies to 1) works of foreign nationals that are published for the first time in Kuwait; 2) works of Arab authors who are nationals of member countries of the Arab Agreement for the Protection of Author's Rights and published in any of those countries; and 3) works of authors who are nationals of member states of the World Intellectual Property Organization that are published for the first time in one of those states (Article 43 of Law No. 64 of 1999).

Under the Law No. 64 of 1999 protection is to be given to all literary works (written and oral), theatrical shows, musical works (with or without lyrics), choreographic works, motion pictures, audio, video and radio works, artistic works (painting, sculpture, carving, architecture and decoration), photographs, applied art (craft or industrial designs), illustrations, maps, designs and models, computer works (software and databases), and translated works.

The scope of protection under this law covers but not limited to written works, works delivered orally( such as lectures, speech, religious sermons and the like) theatrical works and musical plays, musical works with or without songs, works performed by means of movements or steps and mainly prepared for direction, movie works, audio, video and radio works, photographic works, works of applied art, including Craft or industrial designs Illustrations, geographic maps, designs, plans and models related to geography, topography, architecture and science, computer Works including Software, Databases and the like, derived and translated works.

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