Protecting IP Rights in Sanctioned Countries: Iran and Syria
Type
E-journal
Date
9 Apr 2015
Jurisdiction
Iran, Syria
Taxonomy
Sanctions, General Intellectual Property law
Copyright
LexisNexis
Relevant company
Clyde & Co
Analysis
We are regularly asked to advise brand owners on the impact of sanctions on their ability to protect and enforce intellectual property (IP) rights in the Middle East region. This article summarises the position under the EU and US sanctions regulations in relation to IP rights in Iran and Syria.
In summary, the current position is that IP rights owners are not prohibited from protecting and enforcing their IP rights in Iran and Syria, under the existing EU and US sanctions.
However, difficulties remain and businesses should ensure that any company or individual with which they conduct business in Iran and Syria (including licensees, distributors, customers and professional advisors) are not listed on the designated persons registers maintained by the national governments in the EU and by the US government.