The US has decided to prolong its economic sanctions against Ukraine, saying that Ukraine has failed to fight computer piracy and copyright violations, Ukrainian News agency reported.

The US trade representative's office placed Ukraine on the first place in its list of countries that violate intellectual property rights.

The US called on Ukraine to amend legislation regulating production and sale of CDs and to step up fight against copyright violations.

The US called Ukraine a big transit point and warehouse for CDs produced in Russia and some other countries.

The US had introduced the trade sanctions against Ukraine for the failure to combat computer piracy in 2002.

(NewsBase 10.v.04)