Crime and Punishment: Holding Russia Accountable for Weakening Foreign Entities’ Intellectual Property Rights
Eliot Usherenko The Russian government has deliberately weakened intellectual property right protections for entities from “unfriendly countries.” Following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent imposition of economic sanctions by the United States and its allies, the Kremlin launched policies targeting Western businesses as they withdrew from the Russian market. This Article analyzes three potential recourses—bilateral, multilateral, and non-governmental—impacted corporations and individuals could execute to hold Russia accountable for its discriminatory treatment. This Article argues that corporations should form partnerships with their respective governments to promote intergovernmental dialogue through mechanisms such as treaties, as well as undertake litigation in Russia’s...
Itar-Tass Russian News Agency v. Russian Kurier: Federal District Court Applies the Berne Convention, United States and Russian Copyright Laws To Prevent Piracy in Mass Media
Maxim B. Voltchenko The United States is well known for its vigorous protection of intellectual property rights owned by American nationals as well as foreigners. Similarly, the United States expects other nations to observe intellectual property rights of American nationals. Not surprisingly, the United States makes determined effort to urge other countries, especially the countries with emerging economies, to join the international treaties in the area of intellectual property. Virtually as a result of the United States’ active policy regarding expansion of intellectual property rights protection in the international context, the two principal international documents in this area, the Berne...
Svyazinvest: A Failed Attempt at Creating a Big Contender
Steven M. Chernoff Russia’s attempts to introduce large-scale competition into the Russian telephone industry got off to an encouraging start in late 1995 when a public offering of shares in Svyazinvest, the holding company representing the government’s 51% stake in 85 of Russia’s 87 regional operating companies, attracted the bids of several foreign investors. But a promising set of negotiations with the Italian state telephone company ended in an imbroglio at the year’s end, turning imminent success into sudden, dismal failure. Ever since, Svyazinvest has been widely considered an unattractive investment, and the failed negotiations prompted concerns that Russia was...