In what appears to be one of the toughest laws relating to copyright, Panama is adopting a law that may be stronger than in the US.
The 510 bill, already approved on its first reading in the Assembly of Panama, allows ex-officio actions and imposes heavy fines for those who violate copyright. The bill responds to provisions of the trade agreement with the United States, whose implementation requires adapting various Panamanian regulations, including those relating to copyright.
An important feature of the new standard is that it gives large economic incentives to the General Department of Copyright (DGDA in Spanish), the government agency in charge of the subject, to prosecute and punish offenders, as the proceeds from fines applyied by the DGDA will be given over to this agency, which may award salaries increases of up to 50% to its agents.
Fines applied by the DGDA do not prevent interested parties in starting corresponding civil actions, if they believe their rights have been affected.
It is interesting to note in CentralAmericaData.com two other article pertaining to Costa Rica decriminalizing copy right infringement. Now what are they thinking up there??
Costa Rica Decriminalizes Violation of Copyright
June 2012
The Legislative is moving forward a bill that will decriminalize the business of photocopying of books, on the basis of academic needs.
The aim of the “Law to protect the right to education against the excesses of intellectual property law” is to prevent owners of photocopying businesses from being affected by the secondary legislation of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United States on intellectual property protection.
Protest Against Decriminalization of Copyright Violations
July 2012
The Chamber of Information and Communication Technologies and the American Costa Rican Chamber of Commerce have requested that the bill be vetoed by President Chinchilla.
An article in Elfinancierocr.com echoes the troubles caused by the adoption of the law which “allows without sanction copying of music CDs and movies or counterfeit software”, in the national and creative sectors, and in the union that groups together American companies in the country.