July 1999

Syria Master report

I - General background

Syria is a republic of some 15 million people, under Arab Socialist Ba'ath party regimes since March 1963. It is divided into 14 administrative governorates known as muhafazat and these in turn are subdivided into smaller, local sections. The Syrian government is headed by President Hafez al-Assad, leader of the Arab Ba'ath Socialist Party. The President, who is elected to a seven-year term of office, has the power to appoint ministers of his own choice, which form the executive branch of the government. The legislative branch of the government is made up of the People's Council, which has 195 members elected from cities and counties within Syria. Civil servants and military personnel are also appointed by the President and it is within his power to issue laws and declare war. The national constitution specifies that the head of state must be a Muslim. Early industrial activity in Syria was based on the processing of agricultural products, but this changed in the 1970s, with a governmental policy of rapid industrialization, when tariffs were raised on imported consumer goods. As a result, industrial output increased dramatically, particularly in such areas as iron and steel and the annual growth rate is now more than 10%. Once considered a hard-line Arab country, Syria in the post-Gulf War period is slowly changing and its relations with the West are now on a much more friendly footing than in the recent past.

1. General telecom policy

Syria is a highly centralised, socialist state, which follows models of mass (over interactive) communication and of computing as well as information technology. There are no public or internationally accessible IP connections, but Syria has developed an export-oriented television entertainment industry. Telecommunications is a state monopoly, whose development is tied to an educational model. Information Society interests and initiatives are focused through the Syrian Computer Society. It serves as the "computer think tank of the country". Actual introduction of the Internet in Syria is under the (state-owned and operated) Syrian Telecommunications Establishment, and focuses on governmental and educational institutions.

The Syria Telecommunications Establishment (STE) is wholly owned by the Syrian government. The STE is responsible for providing telephone services, payphones, and Internet connections. It also operates a number of satellite earth stations. The STE is a member of the Arab telecommunication permanent commission of the league of Arab states (APTC) and other international organisations. The policy of the STE has been to grant telecommunications services to the public in accordance with the government policy.

2. Institutional structures in charge of regulatory issues

2.1 Ministries in charge of the telecommunications issues

The regulatory and policy making authority in charge of telecommunications issues is the Ministry of Communications. In addition, there are two separate ministries in charge of the publishing information for public consumption: the Ministry of Information and the Ministry of Culture.

2.2 National regulatory authorities

There is no separate regulator, nor are there plans to create a regulatory authority. The incumbent operator (see below) is however responsible for regulatory issues such as numbering, tariff proposals, technical standards, service quality etc.

2.3 Frequencies allocation authorities

No separate authorities -

2.4 Office for protection of economic competition

Founded in 1958, one of the roles of the Ministry of Industry is to support the private sector, to protect local production, and to provide advantages and exemptions to develop industrial activities. It provides numerous services, consultancy, data and statistics for investors. The department also makes policies to encourage investment in the industrial private sector and to develop existing industries.

2.5 Public telecommunication operators

The Syrian Telecommunications Establishment (STE) is the state-owned national operator providing exclusively all telecommunication services.

The STE provides the following services to the public: telephone, fax data transmission, payphone, value added services, Internet, E-mail, and operates number of satellite earth stations (Arabsat, Intelsat, and Intersputnik).

3. International relationships and agreements

The Syria Telecommunications Establishment is a member of the Arab telecommunications permanent commission of the league of Arab states (APTC) and other international organisations, such as ITU (International Telecom Unit), Intelsat, Arabsat, Intersputnik. The STE also joined the GSM memorandum (MOU) of the understarting group of the European Union and international GMPCS (MOU). The Ministry of Industry also participates in agreements involving the private sector with the following parties: Syrian-European Partnership; Free Arab Trade Area and Syrian-Lebanese Cooperation. These are also the responsibility of the Ministry of Economy and Foreign Trade.

4. Regulatory framework

4.1 Present general legislation

Law No 181, adopted in 1974, separated posts and telecommunication services. The Law no 11, adopted in 1985, aimed to corporatize the incumbent operator.

Broadcasting is in addition governed by the law of 1951 (Law No. 68 of 18 Jan. 1951) under which private broadcasting is forbidden and all decisions about broadcasting are taken by the Prime Minister.

4.2 Issues

4.2.1    Liberalisation

STE is the monopoly provider and there are no plans to privatize nor to liberalize the sector.

4.2.2     Universal service

Universal service provisions apply to telex, data transmission, fax and public payphone. These provisions are self-financed by STE.

4.2.3    Tariffs policies

STE is responsible for tariff proposal which then has to be approved by the Ministry of Communications

4.2.4    Quality of service

STE is monitoring the quality of service.

4.2.5    Interconnection

STE is determining internconnection rates

5. Freedom and protection

Article 1 of Syria’s General Law of Printed Matter (1949) declares that "presses, bookshops and publications of all kinds are free and nothing limits their freedom except this law." However, Syria has been under a state of emergency since 1963. Syrian Governments have justified martial law by the state of war which continues to exist with Israel and by continuing threats posed by terrorist groups (radicals, Iraqi and Lebanese). The Emergency Law allows the Government broad discretion in determining what constitutes illegal expression. It prohibits the publishing of "false information," which opposes "the goals of the revolution" 

5.1 Copyright and intellectual property rights

Syria's legal system recognizes and facilitates the transfer of property rights, including intellectual property rights. The Syrian government has raided shops known to pirate computer software. In April 1995, the Syrian government announced its intention, in principle, to join the Paris Union for the International Protection of Industrial Property. The government also stated that it is considering accession to the 1967 Stockholm Intellectual Property Rights Agreement.

The regulation and enforcement of intellectual property rights falls under the purview of the Office of Property Protection of the Ministry of Supply and Internal Trade. However, enforcement is inconsistent

The following information details the specific legal protections for patents, copyrights, and trademarks:

• Patents: These are issued for fifteen year periods, provided the invention has been utilized within two years after the patent was granted.
• Copyrights: Most books printed in Syria are in Arabic and by Arab authors. However, instances of copyright infringement especially of Arabic translations of English texts, have occurred. Pirated records, cassettes, and videos are widely available.

Despite government efforts, pirated computer software is also readily available. The amount of lost revenue is probably minimal. In any event, enforcement and the associated litigation would be, if not impossible, extremely costly compared to any positive benefits that may result.

The motion picture industry estimates the home video market in Syria is 100 percent pirated, and is also concerned with unauthorized hotel video performances, which are said to be common. However, only a few hotels have internal video systems.

Additionally, 100 percent of both Arab and non-Arab commercial music products are pirated. Given the lack of technical sophistication of Syrian industry and strict government control of communications and data processing, infringements on new technologies are not a problem.

• Trademarks: These may be registered for ten-year periods. The first applicant is always entitled to registration.

The Syrian Computer Society (SCS) has recently drafted a law waiting for passage in the Syrian Parliament that will increase protection for authors. (See the SCS web site at www.scs-syria.com.)

5.2 Privacy, data protection, consumer protection

Regulations enforced by the Ministry of Supply are aimed at promoting consumer protection by preventing hoarding and price gouging. (By law, the Ministry of Supply and Internal Trade controls prices on virtually all products imported or locally produced, although enforcement in most sectors is spotty)

6. Information society policies

6.1 Umbrella policies

The SCS has been working together closely with the Government and other bodies in developing an overall Information Society policy. The main goals and policies of the SCS are:

• Offering educational, training, and lecture programs in information technologies and their applications.
  
• Organising conferences, symposia, exhibitions, and workshops with the collaboration of scientific and technical institutions, government organisations, and private sector companies including computer and software vendors.
  
• Providing support and counselling to various ministries, administrations, firms and organisations seeking to computerise their operations and management and decision-making procedures.
  
• Monitoring and evaluating the current status of information technology in Syria and assessing its future prospects in light of worldwide developments and trends.
  
• Actively promoting the introduction of information technologies on a national level, particularly those with a pervasive impact.
  
• Collaborating with the relevant ministries in the planning and implementation of programs for promoting nationwide computer literacy and instituting information technology curricula and programs at the secondary school and university levels.
  
• Supporting research programs and activities in information technology, with particular emphasis on those related to Arabisation and computers, linguistics, Arabised software, and the consolidation of Arabic language standards in computers.
  
• Contributing to the elaboration and implementation of a national information technology policy.
  
• Planning and implementing a broad range of publicity programs and activities, in collaboration with the various national information media, with the purpose of nurturing and expanding public awareness of information technology and its applications.
  
• Elaborating appropriate accreditation schemes and implementation programs initially directed at information technology specialists and professionals, and at training institutes.
  
• Promoting the development and application of consumer protection schemes and programs.
  
• Supporting the growth and expansion of the national computer network in collaboration with the national communications establishments.
  
• Promoting regional and international co-operation programs and activities, which enhance national efforts to increase the rate of diffusion of information technology and applications in the national economy.
  
• Organising public relations programs and activities in support of SCS objectives and functions, including social events.
  
• Publishing and distribution of pamphlets, booklets, proceedings, and original or translated works related to information technology and applications, including the SCS professional journal in Arabic, The Information Culture.
  
• Promoting co-operation among local computer and software companies directed at achieving SCS objectives.

6.2 IS Application areas : Research and education

The SCS and the ministry of Education (in charge of schools in Syria), have developed the Syrian National Policy for Information Technology in Education. The policy describes the phased introduction of computer as a subject in the three school levels in the Syrian schools (elementary, middle and high schools). It also discusses the building of the teaching body and the curricula. The policy is currently being implemented in middle schools and going on further.

President Hafez Al Assad issued the Presidential Decree No. 152 of 1997, which introduced computers (IT) as a mandatory teaching subject to all departments and levels in the four university and developed a special committee in charge of this task. The committee is exempted from all contracting laws and regulations. It has also contracted for 750 fully equipped multi media PC's, laser printers and video projectors in order to start teaching in the second semester of the academic year 1997 / 1998. The number is expected to grow very rapidly to several thousands in the next year or two.

II - Ongoing Developments

1. Ongoing changes in institutional structures

The Syrian government has not made changes in the institutional structures governing telecommunications industries. The indications are that the state will continue its monopoly over these existing and emerging technologies. It is unclear, however, how the state will respond to the number of its citizens gaining access to the Internet through ISPs in Lebanon.

2. Telecommunication liberalisation

No plans for liberalisation- future regulatory plans are mainly focused upon manufacturing small and public exchanges and implementation of networks.

The main policy and strategy in the long term of STE - as outlined in their Eighth Five Years Plan (1996 - 2000) were:

• expansion PSTN network to reach 3300 thousand subscribers in year 2002 And around 5000 thousand subscribers in year 2005; expansion of new services network.
• Improvement of quality of services; more co-operation with Arabic and Global administrations. and the introduction of GMPCS Services.  

3. Media and telecommunication markets: privatisations, foreign investments, mergers and acquisitions

The Syrian government has made no moves to indicate that there will be privatisation of any of the telecommunications industries. Foreign investment in telecommunication is not allowed.