RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE IP/Q3/POL/1
13November 1997
ORGANIZATION(97-4966)
Original: English Council forTrade-Related Aspects
ofIntellectual Property Rights
REVIEW OFLEGISLATION INTHE FIELDS OFPATENTS, LAYOUT-DESIGNS
(TOPOGRAPHIES) OFINTEGRATED CIRCUITS, PROTECTION OF
UNDISCLOSED INFORMATION AND CONTROL OF
ANTI-COMPETITIVE PRACTICES IN
CONTRACTUAL LICENCES
Poland1
Thepresent document reproduces theintroductory statement made bythedelegation ofPoland,
thequestions puttoitandtheresponses given inthereview oflegislation onpatents, layout-designs
(topographies)ofintegratedcircuits,protectionofundisclosedinformationandcontrolofanti-competitive
practices incontractual licences attheCouncil 'smeeting of26-30 May1997.2
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I. INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT
Polandwishestothankthroughyou,MadameChairperson,theCouncilforhavingtheopportunity
ofparticipating inthisuseful exercise. However, itneeds tobereminded thatPoland induetime
requested theopportunity toavailitself, under Article 65.3oftheTRIPS Agreement, ofthedelay of
theapplication oftheprovisions oftheAgreement other thanArticles 3,4and5.
Nevertheless, Poland hasreceived questions related tothereview oflegislation onpatents,
layout-designsofintegratedcircuits,protectionofundisclosedinformationandcontrolofanti-competitive
practices incontractual licences fromthree delegations, namely theEuropean Communities andtheir
Member States, United States andJapan.
Atthesame timePoland would liketorefertotheproposal made inNovember 1996 bythe
previous Chairman oftheCouncil forTRIPS according towhich theChairman would holdconsultations
withindividual countries which benefit fromthesaidperiod ofdelay withaviewtoencourage them
toundergo thereview oftheirlegislation sooner. Having saidthat,Poland wishes torespond tothose
questions within theframework ofthereview oflegislation onpatents, layout-designs ofintegrated
circuits, protection ofundisclosed information andcontrol ofanti-competitive practices incontractual
licences without prejudice totherights under Article 65.3oftheTRIPS Agreement.
1Asregards lawsandregulations relevant totheareas under review asnotified byPoland under Article 63.2ofthe
Agreement, reference ismade todocuments IP/N/1/POL/1, IP/N/1/POL/P/1-2 andIP/N/1/POL/L/1.
2Theminutes ofthemeeting have been circulated indocument IP/C/M/13.IP/Q3/POL/1
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Attheoutset thisdelegation would liketoapologize theCouncil andthethree interested
delegations fornothaving beenabletoprovide theanswers inawritten form yet.Furthermore, we
arenotinaposition toanswer thequestions related withpatents andlayout-designs ofintegrated circuits.
Ourpatent authorities havefound outthatthelegislation currently inforce inPoland diverges ina
number ofdetailed regulations from theprovisions oftheTRIPS Agreement, other thanArticles 3,
4and5,while remaining, astobasic standards, inconformity withthose accepted worldwide. At
present Poland isintheprocess ofpreparation ofanextensive andfar-reaching reform ofindustrial
propertylegislationwhichwouldcoverallthesubjectmatterandaspectsofindustrialpropertyprotection,
including enforcement ofrights. Thepreparatory works areconsiderably advanced andaftertheir
completion andtheadoption ofanewlaw,which isexpected totakeplace in1998, wewillbeready
toanswer anyquestions indetail. Thisstatement isnot,byanymeans, tobeunderstood asgiving
theimpression thatthePolish legislation andpractice inthefieldofpatents andlayout-designs of
integrated circuits donotmeettheTRIPS obligations which Poland islegally obliged torespect, that
is,thenational treatment andMFN clauses. Boththeseclauses arepresent inallstillbinding industrial
property lawsand,naturally, willbeintroduced inthenewlegislation which iscurrently under
preparation.
Atpresent thefollowing lawsareinforce inPoland inthefieldofpatents:
- LawonInventive Activity of19October 1972, assubsequently amended;
- LawonPatent Office oftheRepublic ofPoland of31May1962, assubsequently amended;
- LawontheProtection ofTopographies ofIntegrated Circuits of30October 1992;
- LawonPatent Agents of9January 1993.
Additionally, inforce are:Regulation oftheCouncil ofMinisters andtwoOrdinances ofthe
President ofthePatent Office oftheRepublic ofPoland forwhich theabove-mentioned Laws arethe
legalbasis.
Asfarasprotection ofundisclosed information andcontrol ofanti-competitive practices in
contractual licences areconcerned thefollowing lawsareinforce inPoland:
- LawonCounteracting Unfair Competition of16April 1993 which defines actsofunfair
competition andcontains provisions oncivilresponsibility andcriminal provisions;
- LawonCounteracting Monopolistic Practices of24February 1990, assubsequently amended
which defines monopolistic practices andcontains provisions oninfluence uponformation of
organizational structures ofbusiness entities, provisions onliability forviolating theprovisions
ofthisLawaswellasprovisions onantimonopoly andconsumer protection organ.
II. REPLIESTOQUESTIONSPOSEDBYTHEEUROPEANCOMMUNITIESANDTHEIR
MEMBER STATES
1. Article 11,Section 1oftheUnfair Competition Lawprotects against aninfringement of
abusiness secret onlyifsuchinfringement willendanger therightholder ’smaterial interest. Please
explain how thisprovision isconsistent with Article 39.2 oftheTRIPS Agreement underIP/Q3/POL/1
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which qualified information must beprotected against anyunauthorized disclosure, acquisition
orusethatis"contrary tohonest commercial practices".
TheLawonCounteracting Unfair Competition deals, among others, withprotection of
undisclosed information. According toArticle 11,Section 1oftheLaw, "itisunfair competition to
transfer, disclose oruseinformation which isasecret ofanenterprise, ortopurchase itfrom an
unauthorized person, ifthisisseriously threatening fortheentrepreneur". Itisnotfullyincompliance
withArticle 39.2oftheTRIPS Agreement. Thework aimed atamending theLawhasbeenlaunched.
Atthesame timetheLawonCounteracting Monopolistic Practices obliges employees ofthe
Office forCompetition andConsumer Protection nottodisclose information collected inthecourse
ofperforming their professional duties. Such information cannot beusedfortheneeds ofother
proceedings carried outbased onseparate regulations, withtheexception ofcriminal litigation carried
outbylawexecution bodies courts, civillitigation exclusive.
Theissueofprotectionofundisclosedinformationisalsoincludedintheframeworkofprovisions
oftheLawonState andProfessional Secrets. ItsArticle 1hasthefollowing wording: "The Law
defines rulesandtheways howtodealwithinformation which isstateandprofessional secret". The
Lawputsevery employee, regardless ofhisorherposition, under obligation tokeepprofessional secrets
during hisorheremployment timeandafterithasexpired. Managers ofrelevant entities prepare
listsofwhatcanberegarded asaprofessional secret.
2. Please explain howPoland ensures protection ofundisclosed information submitted to
thegovernment asacondition ofmarketing approval forpharmaceutical oragricultural chemical
products asrequired byArticle 39.3oftheTRIPS Agreement.
These questions refertoprocedures connected withundisclosed information submitted tothe
government asacondition ofmarketing approval forpharmaceutical oragricultural chemical products.
Ourlawdoesnotdealwithspecific products andspecific procedures related tothem. TheLawon
Counteracting Unfair Competition ismore general -itapplies tothesecret ofanenterprise inthe
following way: "Byasecret ofanenterprise itismeant technical, technological, tradeororganizational
information ofanenterprise notrevealed topublic knowledge, withrespect towhich anentrepreneur
undertook necessary actions toprotect theconfidentiality oftheinformation" (Article 11,Section 3
oftheLaw). Protection ofinformation isdealtwithbytheLawonStateandProfessional Secret, too,
butalsoinageneral way. Itcannot beapplied directly topharmaceutical oragricultural chemical
products.
III. REPLY TOTHE QUESTION POSED BYJAPAN
1. Please explain howundisclosed information isprotected inyourcountry, asrequired by
Article 39.2oftheTRIPS Agreement.
Seereply toquestion 1posed bytheEC.
IV. REPLIES TOQUESTIONS POSED BYTHE UNITED STATES
1. Section 42(2) ofPoland ’sLawonInventive Activity authorizes thePatent Office torequest
explanations from thepatentee oralicensee regarding exploitation oftheinvention, inorder to
determine howtheexclusive rights ofthepatent arebeing used. Article 40oftheTRIPS Agreement
authorizes Members tospecify intheir legislation licensing practices orconditions thatwould
constitute anabuse ofexclusive rights. Section 42(2) doesnotappear tobelimited tolicensing
practices. Please explain indetail anyregulations governing themanner inwhich Section 42(2)IP/Q3/POL/1
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hasbeenimplemented and,ifinformation hasbeenrequested ofpatentees orlicensees under this
Section, please explain thenature oftheinformation requested andthecircumstances thatled
totherequest.
Although thequestion deals withthematter ofanti-competitive practices, itfocuses onthe
LawonInventive Activity andparticularly ontherights andduties resulting from thepatent. The
reason fornotproviding answers onpatents during thisreview wasexplained inthegeneral statement
ofthePolish delegation.
2. Please explain howundisclosed information isprotected inPoland, andthelegal basis
forsuchprotection.
Seereply toquestion 1posed bytheEC.
3. Please indicate thenature ofmeasures, ifany,thataretaken byjudicial authorities in
Poland toprotect theconfidentiality ofundisclosed information furnished byaparty tothecourt
during legalproceedings, when theinformation hasbeenprovided either toenforce rights insuch
information, orforother purposes.
Thequestion refers toactivities taken byjudicial authorities toprotect confidentiality of
undisclosed information furnished byaparty tothecourt during legalproceedings. Thisissuerequires
consultation withPoland ’sMinistry ofJustice.
4. Pleaseexplainthemeasures,ifany,thathavebeenimplementedinPolandtoprotectagainst
unfair competition those parties thathave provided confidential testorother dataconcerning
apharmaceutical oragricultural chemical product toPolish regulatory authorities pursuant to
arequest formarketing approval. Please explain howsuchmeasures, ifany,areconsistent with
Article 39.3oftheTRIPS Agreement.
Seereply toquestion 2posed bytheEC.