Musica en Mexico Pirateria

Piratería México continúa siendo uno de los países con alto índice de piratería. Se estima que durante el año anterior se comercializaron más de 90 millones de discos de reproducción ilegal, que representa el 60% del mercado total interno, sin considerar la piratería por Internet. La creciente piratería sigue atentando contra el progreso de los negocios formales de la música y del desarrollo de la economía del país, mientras que la industria discográfica perdió alrededor de 390 millones de dólares como consecuencia de las ventas de discos piratas, la hacienda pública dejó de percibir cerca de 105 millones de dólares por evasión de impuestos. Un reciente estudio de mercado reflejó resultados alarmantes con relación a la piratería y al futuro de la industria en Internet. Solo el 40% de la distribución en el mercado total de la música grabada es original y el 60% restante corresponde al producto pirata. El 98% del total de unidades vendidas es en formato Compact Disc, del cual 6 de cada 10 CD’S son piratas, siendo igual esta proporción en el Cassette. En virtud de que el 88% de los discos vendidos en el país son en nuestro idioma, la reproducción ilegal de estos productos se concentra en la música grabada en español con un 60% del mercado. Se estima que en 2004, entre tianguis, puestos en la calle, mercados públicos y sobre ruedas existen en México alrededor de 44 mil puntos de venta de discos piratas, siendo los puestos en la calle los principales puntos de comercialización de discos de reproducción ilegal. Conforme pasa el tiempo la piratería se ha ido extendiendo en el mercado mexicano de música grabada. Si dividimos el territorio nacional por zonas, vemos que en el Distrito Federal y Estado de México la penetración de estos productos es de 59.3%, en la zona Sudeste (Campeche, Quintana Roo, Oaxaca, Tabasco, Guerrero, Yucatán y Chiapas) alcanza el 71.4%, pero el mayor índice de compra de discos piratas se encuentra en la zona Centro del país (Tlaxcala, Puebla, Hidalgo, Morelos, Querétaro y Veracruz), con un 75.9%. Aunado a este problema están los compradores de discos. Si bien la mayor incidencia de compra radica en personas con menores ingresos y nivel de vida en todo el país, la demanda de los discos no originales ha ido en incremento. De un total de 16.2 millones de consumidores de discos el 55% adquiere exclusivamente discos piratas, el 12% compra discos originales y piratas; y solamente el 33% adquiere exclusivamente discos originales. El Mercado Mexicano de la Música por Internet En México el uso de nuevas tecnologías en la población ha ido en ascenso, representando para los productores de fonogramas un nuevo reto tanto para la comercialización de discos originales como para el combate de la reproducción ilegal por este medio. Cada día hay más individuos que queman en un CD-R canciones que bajan desde Internet. Se estima que en 2004, fueron bajados y quemados alrededor de 152 millones de temas por los usuarios de Internet en México. Esta cifra es alarmante, ya que los compradores frecuentes de discos bajaron y quemaron durante el año cerca de 100 millones de canciones, mientras que los no compradores grabaron 52 millones. Además, el acceso a Internet a través de Ciber – Cafés continúa siendo habitual para bajar y quemar música. Durante el pasado año, cerca de 29 millones de temas fueron copiados ilegalmente en estos establecimientos. Fuente: AMPROFON MEXICO Manuel Lozano S.

Indigenous Marks

How symbols associated with indigenous people are protected in the American Continent. Edgardo Bourgoing, IP Guardians, Mexico City, Mexico The adequate protection of names and symbols historically associated with indigenous people is a very difficult issue, but should these symbols must have special trademark protection? In a report made Policy emerging Issues Subcommittee, the subcommittee believes that the Lanham Act should not be amended to give any private group, special protection against registration and use of symbols. The above mentioned opinion was based on a questionnaire made buy the subcommittee in which the responses indicated that in most countries of the American Continent that have significant indigenous populations, no protective legislation has been introduced, and the indigenous populations are not claming special rights in names and symbols traditionally associated with them On the other hand, we can find law in some of the countries of the American continent like Chile and Paraguay that have express laws that protects indigenous peoples’ culture, language and historical heritage. However none of these countries have any law related to the protection of any names and symbols of indigenous populations. In Mexico such kind of protection was proposed to be included in the Mexican Law of Industrial Property, but until today no amendments have been made in this regard. But, we can find protection for indigenous symbols in the Andean Community (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela) have enacted special protection for indigenous symbols. In September 14, 2000 the Community Decision 486 and have been in full force for the last two years but there is no consensus regarding its impact or effectiveness. The Article 136 (g) of the Andean Community Decision 486 applies to three different types of communities; indigenous (Native American) communities, (Afro-American) communities and local (undefined) communities. We have to keep in mind also that the provisions that simply integrate Article 6ter of the Paris Convention for Protection of Industrial Property on the protection of state emblems, official hallmarks, and emblems of intergovernmental organizations, such as Olympic rings. This provision does not rant special trademark rights to indigenous populations. As to the United Stated of America, the background on this is issue leads us to a proposal made by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to establish a database for the Native American Insignia that would identified applications containing marks similar to the official insignia. This database was the result of a two-year effort mandated by the Trademark Law Treaty Implementation Act of 1988, which required the USPTO to study how trademark law can better protect the official insignia of Native American tribes. The USPTO issued a report on November 30, 1999 for the trademark protections for the official insignia of Native American Tribes, this reports mandate that by an amendment to the Trademark Law Treaty Implementation Act (Title II, P.L. No. 105-330), followed a comment period and the staging of live three U.S. cities. INTA was among the participants and the Association comments highlighted the difficulty in granting special protection and treatment through legislation designed to provide specific groups exclusive rights without proof of like hood or confusion. The reported highlighted also that the public does not fully appreciate the scope of protection already available under the section 2(1) of the Lanham Act. This probation prohibits the registration of marks that falsely suggest a connection with persons, institutions, beliefs or national symbols (as a result, the USPTO did not recommend amendments to the Lanham Act). Also the USPTO found a need for better use of existing prohibitions and for education about the options available to Native American tribes to enforce their intellectual property rights and protect their cultural heritage. The USPTO offered that it will maintain and create and update this a database, that federal agencies should work to educate the public with respect to rights surrounding official insignia of Native American Tries and to educate the public. Sources “Report of Issues and Policy Emerging Issues INTA Subcommittee Trademark Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Remarks of Tomas Wilcox Brooke, Gadsby & Hannah LLP Chairman, U.S. Legislations Subcommittee INTA July 15, 1999”:

Agave Angst

Tequila, the national drink of Mexico, is famous around the world for its unique taste and bouquet. It is also a mixer used in the popular Margarita cocktail. However, recently there has been some controversy regarding the future of the purity of the product. Tequila is distilled from the heart of the blue agave plant that grows only in one specific controlled area in Mexico's heartland. Its full name is the "agave azul tequilana weber" and it flourishes in the dry mineral rich volcanic soil of western Mexico. This plant has long bluish green spiny leaves with sharp points and a large heart (called piña or pineapple) from which the juices are extracted. Mexico's "Appellation of Origin" law has defined the area in which the blue agave is grown. It includes the state of Jalisco and some regions in the states of Guanajuato, Nayarit, Michoacán, and Tamaulipas, all which have similar reddish volcanic soil and climate. The liquor gets its name from the town of Tequila located in the state of Jalisco, where production started more than 200 years ago. The best-known tequila producing towns are Tequila, El Arenal and Amatitán located a few miles west of Guadalajara, and the region in Los Altos or highlands east of Guadalajara that includes Atotonilco, Tepatitlán and Arandas. Other producing towns are Tesistán, Corralejo in Guanajuato, and Capilla de Guadalupe in Jalisco. Although exportation of the product to the United States began in 1873, the popularity of the product word-wide has grown tremendously in the last few years. Thus far, the purity of the product has been strictly regulated through the Mexican government's articles no's 156--168 and the NOM standard, which specifies that the amount of Agave Azul sugar in Tequila should be no less than 51 percent. However, rumors have recently circulated through various media sources, that due to the tremendous growth explosion, future Tequila mixes may have a less percentage of Agave Azul than originally mandated. The reports state that the production of Agave Azul from the designated areas has not been enough to produce the amount of Tequila necessary for the increased world-wide consumption. Consequently, the amount of sugar obtained from the Agave Azul plant that would be used to make Tequila could be dramatically reduced from 51 percent to 29 percent. The possibility of this occurring may not be very remote. The Appellation of Origin Law in Mexico specifically states that a product's uniqueness is dependant on the unique quality derived from the control of the production and the traditional way of making a certain product. However, the increase in exportation of Tequila does not seem likely to die down any time soon and some measures will have to be taken to increase production. Many believe that the international prestige of Tequila is in jeopardy due to a possible lowering of standards and it is the topic of intense dispute in the media. Moreover, diluting the liquor may not be the only solution. Some believe that one way to increase the production of the Agave Azul is to designate more areas within Mexico for farming the plant. Another solution would be to produce the plant under laboratory conditions before replanting. This would decrease the percentage of disease-ridden plants. However, thus far, there has been no clear mandate regarding the future of the product. Sources: "Growing Agave Faster May be the Answer to the Future" South Florida Sun-Sentinel, March 20, 2001; "Agave Shortage Clobbers Premium Brands" Morris Thompson Knight Ridder News Service, February 7, 2001; Verifier: Naeran Rubio, Managing Editor, INTA Bulletin.

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