RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE IP/C/W/81
29September 1997
ORGANIZATION(97-4050)
Council forTrade-Related Aspect
ofIntellectual Property Rights
REVIEW OFLEGISLATION ONENFORCEMENT
Questions Posed byHong Kong, China
Bymeans ofacommunication from theHong Kong Economic andTrade Office, dated
22September 1997, theSecretariat hasreceived thefollowing questions thatHong Kong, China had
communicated toAustralia, Canada, theEuropean Communities andtheirMember States, Germany,
Japan, NewZealand, theUnited Kingdom andtheUnited States.IP/C/W/81
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QUESTIONS TOAUSTRALIA, CANADA, GERMANY, JAPAN,
THE UNITED KINGDOM AND THE UNITED STATES
Civil andAdministrative Procedures andRemedies
1. Isitcorrect tosaythatintellectual property infringement cases often endintheinterim
interlocutory stage? Ifyes,whatseem tobethereasons? Isthisdesirable intheinterest ofjustice?
2. Incivilproceedings, arethere anyproof facilitation provisions which could create legal
presumptions ofintellectual property subsistence andownership andthuscould excuse therightowner
from appearing incourt andtotestify these issues? Ifnot,why?
Criminal Procedures
3. Does anyintellectual property enforcement agency havethelegalpower toseize andforfeit
suspected infringing articles, whether ornotacharge hasbeenlaid? Ifnot,why?
4. Isthere aspecialized criminal intellectual property enforcement agency? Ifnot,whatisthe
rationale?
5. Incriminal proceedings, arethere anyproof facilitation provisions which could create legal
presumptions ofintellectual property subsistence andownership andthuscould excuse therightowner
from appearing incourt andtotestify these issues? Ifnot,why?IP/C/W/81
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QUESTIONS TOTHE UNITED STATES
1. Arethere anystatutory minimum damages forintentional ornegligent intellectual property
infringements? Ifyes,isthejudiciary content thatitsjudicial discretion hasbeencurtailed?
2. Isparallelimportofarticlesinfringingintellectualpropertyrights(especiallycopyright)acriminal
offence? Ifyes,please quote therelevant legislation orhallmark cases.IP/C/W/81
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QUESTION TOTHE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
TheEuropeanUnionCouncil(EC)Regulation(theRegulation)onlycontainsmeasurestoprohibit
therelease forfreecirculation, import orexport ofcounterfeit/pirated goods inMember States. In
order toprovide sufficient andunified criminal legislation toMember States, willtheEuropean
Community plantointroduce criminal lawsrelating toIPRintotheRegulation?IP/C/W/81
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QUESTIONS TONEW ZEALAND
1. NewZealand hasanexperience ofoneBorder Measure case. Weareinterested toknow which
IPorganization initiated theapplication andwhat were thequantity andnature ofinfringing goods
involved? Wewould alsoliketoknow iftheNewZealand Customs hadanydifficulties inthehandling
ofthiscase?
2. Wenotethataprivate person inNewZealand caninitiate criminal proceedings incasethe
relevant authorities decided nottopursue thecaseforreason thattheevidence isnotlikely toresult
inaconviction. Wewould liketoknow howcantheyinitiate suchproceedings? Arethere precedent
examples?IP/C/W/81
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QUESTION TOJAPAN
Isparallelimportofarticlesinfringingintellectualpropertyrights(especiallycopyright)acriminal
offence? Ifyes,please quote therelevant legislation orhallmark cases.