[Random-bits] US Trade Agreement with Jordon requires patents on business methods and software

[James Love]

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
ON ISSUES RELATED TO THE PROTECTION OF
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
UNDER THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND JORDAN
ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A FREE TRADE AREA

The Government of the United States of America ("United States") and the
Government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan ("Jordan"), recognizing
the need to promote adequate and effective protection of intellectual
property rights, to provide enhanced intellectual property protection to
account for the latest technological developments, and to promote
greater efficiency and transparency in the administration of
intellectual property systems in order to strengthen the international
trading system;
Agree,

. . . 

5.    Jordan shall take all steps necessary to clarify that the
exclusion from patent protection of "mathematical methods" in Article
4(B) of Jordan's Patent Law does not include such "methods" as business
methods or computer-related inventions.

 . . . 


Agreement, with the exception of paragraph 3, which shall be implemented
within two years from the date of entry into force of the Agreement.
Done at Washington, in duplicate, this twenty-fourth day of October,
2000, which corresponds to this twenty-sixty day of Rajab, 1421, in the
English language.  An Arabic language text shall be prepared, which
shall be considered equally authentic upon an exchange of diplomatic
notes confirming its conformity with the English language text.  In the
event of a discrepancy, the English language text shall prevail.

FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF THE    FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA:    HASHEMITE KINGDOM OF JORDAN:


-- 
James Love  mailto:love@cptech.org http://www.cptech.org
Consumer Project on Technology, P.O. Box 19367, Washington, DC 20036
voice 1.202.387.8030  fax  1.202.234.5176