Intellectual Property Piracy

For many years, Indonesia has been regarded by countries like the U.S.A, the European Union, Japan, as a haven for Intellectual Property Rights piracy.

In order to improve our country’s image, our government and parliament have promulgated laws to protect domestic and foreign Patents, Trademarks, Copyrights and Industrial Designs, and punish violators. Besides, we have ratified International Intellectual Property Rights conventions and treaties. Further, our law enforcement agencies have implemented those laws, e.g by regular police raids in shopping places selling pirate products and prosecute the pirates in courts. However, foreign and local pirate products keep on circulating in many modern & traditional shopping places throughout Indonesia.

Due to this fact, foreign countries and international organizations have demanded Indonesia to improve the protection of those rights; some even threatened to impose trade sanction if our country doesn’t improve protection of those rights.
Bisnis Indonesia/Suwantin Oemar reported that the United States Trade Representative is currently evaluating the protection of Intellectual Property Rights in Indonesia. According to the Director General of Intellectual Property Rights Andy Sommeng, one of the objectives of said evaluation is to push for amendment of Intellectual Property laws in Indonesia.

In view of the above, I felt that our country can eliminate or at least minimize infringement of Intellectual Property Rights, if we consistently implement laws regarding Patent, Trademark, Copyright and Industrial Designs. Besides that, considering that many of the pirate products are imported, the Customs Office and the Department of Trade should also be involved, so that cheap imported pirate products would not be allowed to enter our country.