Turkey is fast becoming one of the most important developing economies for international businesses, but its intellectual property system sometimes struggles to keep up, as WIPR finds out.
With its unique position as conduit between Europe and Asia, Turkey looks set to become an ever more vital jurisdiction for IP. It does, however, pose a bit of a conundrum to businesses and IP lawyers. Patent and trademark applications have been on the rise for years, while the economy continues to outperform its developed rivals. This means businesses can see real opportunities in the country, whether it be for pharmaceutical innovation or luxury goods sales.
And yet, there is cause for wariness. In May, the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) released its annual Special 301 Report, once again putting Turkey on its piracy and counterfeiting ‘watch list’. The report said: “Turkey should take action on the legislative reforms that are currently pending, and should take steps to provide an effective mechanism to address piracy in the digital environment, including full implementation of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO’s) Internet treaties.
"Additional resources and training are needed to allow for more effective IP rights enforcement efforts, including additional training for judges, especially with respect to piracy over the Internet.”
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Turkey, IP system
