Kazakhstan

Community programmes in audiovisual sector now open to participation by Slovakia and Romania Additional Agreements with non-Member States on copyright protection

IRIS 1996-7:1/10

Ad van Loon

European Audiovisual Observatory

Similar to the Additional Protocols to the Europe Agreements establishing associations between the European Communities and their Member States of the one part and Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and the Czech Republic respectively, of the other part ( see IRIS 1996-2:4-5), an Additional Protocol was approved to the Europe Agreement with the Slovak Republic on 22 April 1996. As a consequence, since 1 July 1996 Slovakia may participate in Community programmes and projects in the fields of, inter alia, information services and the audiovisual sector (which includes the MEDIA II programme). The Additional Protocol which allows Romania to participate in Community programmes in these fields will enter into force on 1 August 1996.

In IRIS 1996-2: 4 and IRIS 1996-4: 6 we reported on a number of agreements between the European Union and non-Member States which cover, inter alia, intellectual property law and that are relevant to the audiovisual sector. In the meantime, similar agreements have been concluded with other non Member States of the EU: Kazakhstan, Vietnam and Nepal.

All these agreements contain clauses for a better protection in the field of copyright and unfair competition.

References

Additional Protocol to the Europe Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Slovak Republic, of the other part, OJEC of 9 May 1996 No L 115:42-46;
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:21996A0509%2801%29:EN:HTML

Interim Agreement on trade and trade-related matters between the European Community, the European Coal ans Steel Community and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and Republic of Kazakhstan, of the other part, OJEC of 20 June 1996 No L 147: 1-21;
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:21996A0620%2801%29:EN:HTML

Cooperation Agreement between the European Community and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, OJEC of 7 June 1996 No L 136: 28-37;
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:21996A0607%2801%29:EN:HTML

Cooperation Agreement between the European Community and the Kingdom of Nepal, OJEC of 8 June 1996 No L 137: 14-23.
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:21996A0608%2801%29:EN:HTML

IRIS 1996-2:1/4 European Union/Ukraine: Interim Agreement covering copyright law