Kazakhstan was removed from the United States Trade Representative Watch List in 2006 due to its commitments to improve the IPR legislation and enforcement.  Since 2006, Kazakhstan has continued to develop its IPR legislation and regulations; however, enforcement remains weak, as evidenced by the wide availability of pirated and counterfeit goods in Kazakhstan.  In addition to concerns about enforcement and customs controls, the judiciary’s lack of technical expertise, particularly with regard to patent enforcement, also continues to hinder adequate and effective protection of IPR.

In any foreign market companies should consider several general principles for effective protection of their intellectual property. For background, link to this article on Protecting Intellectual Property and Stopfakes.gov for more resources.

The IP Attaché covering Kazakhstan is currently Dorian Mazurkevich, based in Kyiv, Ukraine. His contact information is available at: https://www.uspto.gov/ip-policy/ip-attach-program/regions/ukraine .

To access Kazakhstan’s ICS, which includes information on the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights, visit the U.S. Department of State Investment Climate Statement website.