After four weeks of debate, Parliament in a late afternoon session passed the final clauses of the law, which drastically revises and updates archaic legislation in a country which has long been blacklisted internationally as a haven for pirates of intellectual property.

The intellectual property law is one of many, including laws concerning patents, customs and agriculture, which Turkey has undertaken to pass to conform to European Union standards before it can enter customs union with the EU, scheduled for January 1.

Prime Minister Tansu Ciller is seeking approval later in the week on legislation enabling her to pass EU-related laws in one fell swoop before parliament's summer recess.

EU diplomats said the progress of the law was "at least something".

"We cannot say we are enamoured with the intellectal property law as it stands," said one EU diplomat, who declined to be named. "Things like the penalties are not quite what we expected."

The law aims to protect designs and projects on computer programmes, data bases, architechture, urban planning, environment, performing arts, graphic arts and even caricatures.

Jail sentences of up to three years and fines of up to 600 million Turkish lira ($14,000) await those infringing the law.

Previous piracy fines had stood at around 30,000 lira (70 cents), dating from 1951 legislation.

The European parliament said earlier in Brussels that Turkey had to make greater strides on human rights and democracy before the EP would approve the customs union in a vote due in October.

Ankara plans to present a package of democratic and human rights reforms to its parliament by the end of the month.