Switzerland wants to be out of USTR's 'Watch List' after passing a new Copyright Act

By Emmanuel Legrand

 

The Swiss Government has filed a letter with the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) addressing the main concerns that the United States and copyright holder groups have with the country's copyright regime. The letter points out that from April 1 of this year, Switzerland's new Copyright Act will come into effect and should answer some of the issues that have warranted the country to be on the USTR's ‘Watch List'.

  Provisions in the law include a "stay down" requirement for ISPs. “If pirate sites are hosted in Switzerland, the revised legislation targets them by creating a ‘stay-down’ obligation," reads the letter seen by TorrentFreak. "Such hosting providers will have to ensure that infringing content, once removed, remains off their servers." But the law does not include measures such as pirate site blocking and maintains the “private use” exception for downloading. 

 

Unjustified inclusion

 

  "With the conclusion of the revision to its Copyright Act, Switzerland further demonstrates its commitment to copyright protection and enforcement. The revised law constitutes an important step in effectively addressing the challenges posed by the internet and includes effective remedies against copyright piracy on the internet,” states the Swiss government in the letter. 

 

  It continues: “It should thus put an end to criticism directed against Switzerland as a host country for infringing sites. With the upcoming enactment of the revised Copyright Act as of 1 Apr 2020, Switzerland considers a further inclusion on the watch list to be unjustified and inappropriate."

 

  TorrentFreak noted that "whether the USTR agrees with this conclusion will become apparent in the upcoming Special 301 Report, which is set to be released later this year."