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UNCLAS LA PAZ 000368 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON ETRD KIPR BL
SUBJECT: Special 301 La Paz Input 
 
REF: 10 STATE 3361 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  Post recommends that Bolivia remain on the 
Special 301 Watch List in 2010.  Bolivia's new constitution, passed 
by referendum on January 25, 2009, includes references to 
protection of intellectual property rights (IPR), but only for 
indigenous groups by name.  Bolivia protects copyrights and 
registers patents and trademarks through existing laws.  However, 
concerns about trade secret protection, piracy, and counterfeiting 
continue to be serious problems.  The Morales administration has 
installed new leadership at the Servicio Nacional de Propiedad 
Intelectual (SENAPI), the Bolivian intellectual property body, and 
these authorities appear more engaged.  However, with limited 
resources and a history of lax enforcement, it remains to be seen 
whether significant progress can be made.  End summary. 
 
 
 
 
New Constitution Limits IPR Protection 
 
 
¶2.  (U) Bolivia belongs to the World Intellectual Property 
Organization and is a signatory to the Nice Agreement and the 
Paris, Bern, and Geneva Conventions.  As a member of the Andean 
Community (CAN) it has pledged to abide by the intellectual 
property decisions of the CAN.  National law specifically supports 
IPR for genetic material, and indigenous groups and their 
patrimony, however, it limits protection for medicines. 
 
¶3.  (U) The constitution provides for protection of all domestic 
genetic and micro-organic resources, as well as the knowledge 
associated with their use and exploitation.  This protection will 
be achieved in part through registry in a system yet to be created. 
For all the resources not registered, Article 381 of the 
constitution says the State will establish procedures for their 
protection with a law that has yet to be written. 
 
¶4.  (U) Article 100 of the new constitution states the State will 
also protect the learning and knowledge of indigenous people by 
means of intellectual property registration.  The constitution 
acknowledges the right of indigenous nations and people to the 
collective intellectual property of their intelligence, sciences, 
and knowledge, as well as their valuation, use, promotion and 
development (Article 30).  Article 304 further specifies that 
indigenous people can safeguard, through registration, collective 
intellectual property related to knowledge of genetic resources, 
traditional medicine, and germ plasma. 
 
¶5.  (U) The constitution specifically limits IPR related to 
medicines in Article 41 which specifies that the right of access to 
medicines cannot be restricted by intellectual property or trade 
rights. 
 
 
Significant Copyright Protection Exists on Paper 
 
 
¶6.  (U) Bolivia's copyright law (Law 1322, 1992) predates the 
international standards established under the WTO Agreement on 
Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property (TRIPS) and falls 
short of obligations under the World Intellectual Property 
Organization (WIPO) Copyright Treaty and the WIPO Performances and 
Phonograms Treaty. 
 
¶7.  (U) However, the existing copyright law does protect literary, 
artistic, and scientific works for the lifetime of the author plus 
50 years.  Bolivian copyright protection includes the exclusive 
right to copy or reproduce works; to revise, adapt, or prepare 
derivative works; to distribute copies of works; and to publicly 
communicate works.  Although the exclusive right to translate works 
is not explicitly granted, the law does prevent unauthorized 
adaptation, transformation, modification, and editing.  The law 
also provides protection for software and databases. 
 
¶8.  (U) The copyright law protects the rights of Bolivian authors, 
foreign authors domiciled in Bolivia, and foreign authors published 
 
for the first time in Bolivia.  Foreigners not domiciled in Bolivia 
enjoy protection to the extent provided in international 
conventions and treaties to which Bolivia is a party. 
 
¶9.  (U) The film and video law (Law 1302, 1991) contains elements 
of IPR protection, establishing a National Movie Council (CONACINE) 
to oversee the domestic film industry and requiring that all films 
and videos shown or distributed in Bolivia be registered with the 
organization. 
 
 
However, IPR Violations are Widespread and Enforcement is 
Practically Nonexistent 
 
 
 
 
¶10.  (U) Video, music, and software piracy rates are among the 
highest in Latin America, with the International Intellectual 
Property Alliance estimating that piracy levels have reached 100% 
for motion pictures and over 90% for recorded music.  There are no 
legal sources of audio-visual materials in most of the country, 
since it would be impossible to compete with pirated products 
prices: in the capital of La Paz there is only one store that sells 
legal CDs.  Bootleg CDs, DVDs, computer software, pharmaceutical 
products, and other goods are sold on street corners and in stores 
across the country.  A recent survey conducted by the Center for 
Investigation, Education and Services (Centro de Investigacion y 
Educacion y Servicio - CIES) in four cities involving 540 men and 
women, shows that 87% of the population buy pirated movies, music, 
software, and books.  Vendors operate with no fear of punishment, 
relying on an agreement signed in 2006 by the Cinema Worker's Union 
(Sindicato de Trabajadores Cinematograficos de La Paz), the Mayor's 
Office, and local film vendors, which allows the selling of pirated 
CDs, but prohibits the sale of films of local production, 
pornography, and newly released films. 
 
 
 
¶11.  (U) The existing copyright law recognizes copyright 
infringement as a public offense and the 2001 Bolivian Criminal 
Procedures Code provides for the criminal prosecution of IPR 
violations.  However, the enforcement of intellectual property 
rights remains insufficient.  Criminal charges are rarely filed, 
and civil suits, if pursued, face long delays.  Criminal penalties 
are limited to up to five years in jail, and civil penalties are 
restricted to the recovery of direct economic damages.  Some 
Bolivian customs authorities continue to try to intercept 
counterfeit goods shipments at international borders, but the 
customs service lacks the human and financial resources needed to 
be effective. 
 
 
¶12.  (SBU) The Morales administration has drafted new medical 
legislation, which is still under debate.  The proposed law would 
strengthen restrictions on the sale of pharmaceutical products and 
will impose harsh sanctions on companies or persons who operate 
outside this law.  In spite of these efforts, foreign companies 
still have little confidence in the system.  Drug companies, in 
particular, are reluctant to file patents in the country, fearing 
trade secret theft and counterfeiting.  After six years, Merck 
recently won a validation patent lawsuit.  However, the company is 
skeptical that the court's ruling requiring that all laboratories 
remove products from the market and pay compensation will actually 
be enforced.  In December 2009, the Ministry of Health conducted an 
operation which uncovered the manufacturing of counterfeit 
pharmaceutical products and the repacking of expired products.  The 
operation concluded with the authorities seizing over 30 tons of 
pharmaceutical products (anti-inflammatory agents, pain killers, 
and others).  The authorities closed down the operation, revoked 
their license, and began a legal process against the owners of the 
charged company. 
 
 
Possible Opportunity for Improvement 
E 
 
¶13.  (U) In an effort to create a new image, as of December 2009, 
the GOB appointed a new executive director with a legal background 
to SENAPI.  SENAPI's primary goal under this new administration is 
to establish an enforcement law and build a library to house 
Bolivia's intellectual property materials.  However, although the 
government has increased patent fees to 20 times their previous 
rate (an action that is being contested by the Asociacion Boliviana 
de Propiedad Industrial or ABPI), the funds generated are 
distributed to the general fund and not allocated specifically to 
IPR efforts, and the organization's budget remains extremely 
limited. 
 
 
 
 
Comment 
 
 
¶14.  (SBU) Post continues to be pessimistic about the short-term 
prospects for greater recognition and protection of IPR.  President 
Morales has shown little interest in protecting intellectual 
property, particularly property belonging to non-Bolivians.  While 
the IPR situation in Bolivia merits continued standing on the Watch 
List, Post recommends against any stronger action at this time as 
placement of Bolivia on the Priority Watch List would have no 
positive practical result, and the effectiveness of any future IPR 
education and outreach would be damaged by Bolivian reaction to a 
change in Special 301 status.  For these reasons, Post recommends 
no/no change to Bolivia's Special 301 Watch List status. 
Creamer