According to US Customs IPR Seizures Statistics, Taiwan is ranked down, and very likely to be removed from the Special 301 next year.

Bureau of Customs, Ministry of Finance has indicated that, according to the US Customs Statistics, Taiwan's ranking in IPR seizures fell from 2 to 8. This is for the first time in the past five years that Taiwan is not ranked among the top 5, and is very likely to be removed from the Special 301 watch list in 2004.

 

Taiwan was ranked the 2nd in the Special 301 list in the US fiscal year 2002, 5th in 2001, 2nd in 2000, 1st in 1999, and 2nd in1998. The major products of IPF seizures were computer software and audio/video CD-ROMs, making Taiwan face the threat of the US Article 301 every year..

 

However, ever since Ministry of Justice has proposed a seizure scheme along with an advocate of an IPR Protection Year, the prosecutors offices of the Taiwan High Court have summoned and directed all the prosecutor’s offices, police force, bureaus of investigation, as well as all their subordinate units to raid the pirated products. Further, the customs will also cooperate the above said actions and safeguard every coastal border and airport to prevent any pirated CD-ROMs from exporting. (2003.11)

CYJ/YVO