The Government of Jordan is drafting a bundle of intellectual property laws in its endeavor to update its legislation for joining the World Trade Organization (WTO). The WTO section at the Ministry of Industry and Trade is currently administering the process of re-drafting a number of existing laws and drafting other new legislations.
An independent legislation to deal with integrated circuits protection is yet to be introduced. It is said this law would be based on the 1989 Treaty on Intellectual Property in Respect of Integrated Circuits. Another law is being drafted on industrial designs separately from the patent law. Also, trademark and copyright laws are subject to change. Interestingly, the WTO Section is in the process of introducing an independent law for the protection of plant varieties.
While these legal efforts are designed to make Jordan’s intellectual property rights and protection in tune with TRIPs requirements, yet more problematic issues need to be tackled in this regard. One major concern is that still no concrete intent is directed towards enacting a law that deals with unfair competition.
Unfair competition provisions are essential to assist in establishing a sound system for the protection of intellectual property rights. Moreover, the question of whether Jordan’s legal system would be adequate to serve the required enforcement measures of TRIPs has not been answered yet. Adopting a new enforcement mechanism special to the distinctive nature of intellectual property would seem to be the ideal approach. In any case, intellectual property right owners and legal practitioners are eagerly awaiting the final release of this bundle of laws.