Combating Copyright Infringement in Russia: A Comprehensive Approach for Western Plaintiffs

This Article addresses several measures that U.S. and European firms can undertake to combat copyright infringing activities in Russia. First, the Article attempts to dispel the notion that Russian law and the Russian government are inadequate to deal with copyright and piracy problems. In fact, recent surveys suggest that foreign plaintffs have achieved some success in arbitrazh courts. Furthermore, Russian authorities have begun to take steps to ensure that these decisions will be enforced. Second, the Author suggests that the United States and European nations can apply pressure on the Russian Federation to ensure compliance with copyright laws in the context of bilateral treaties to which Russia is a party. Both the United States and the European Union have current treaties with Russia that provide avenues for communication of these concerns. Finally, the Author argues that if Russia were admitted into the World Trade Organization, procedures within that organization could be employed to influence Russian intellectual property policies and their enforcement. If Russia were a party to the WTO, other member states could attempt to enforce Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) standards, thereby improving foreign copyright interests