WORLD TRADE IP/N/6/EEC/1
13February 1997
ORGANIZATION(97-0533)
Original: English Council forTrade-Related Aspects
ofIntellectual Property Rights
CHECKLIST OFISSUES ONENFORCEMENT1
Responses from theEuropean Community toquestions 15to25
Thefollowing communication, dated 13December 1996, hasbeenreceived fromthePermanent
Delegation oftheCommission oftheEuropean Communities.
_______________
Ihavethehonour tosendtoyouherewith theChecklist onEnforcement fortheEuropean
Communities which covers allaspects ofECRegulation No.3295/94 of22December 1994 laying
down measures toprohibit therelease forfreecirculation, export, re-export orentry forasuspensive
procedure ofcounterfeit orpirated goods.
Ishallbegrateful ifyouwould ensure thedistribution ofthisChecklist totheTRIPS Council.
_______________
Special Requirements Related toBorder Measures
15. Indicate forwhich goods itispossible toapply forthesuspension bythecustoms authorities
oftherelease intofreecirculation, inparticular whether these procedures areavailable
alsoinrespect ofgoods which involve infringements ofintellectual property rights other
thancounterfeit trademark orpirated copyright goods asdefined intheTRIPS Agreement
(footnote toArticle 51). Specify, together withrelevant criteria, anyimports excluded
from theapplication ofsuchprocedures (such asgoods from another member ofacustoms
union, goods intransit ordeminimis imports). Dotheprocedures apply toimports of
goods putonthemarket inanother country byorwiththeconsent oftheright holder
andtogoods destined forexportation?
IntheCommunity, under Regulation No.3295/94 of22December 1994, theapplication for
action bythecustoms authorities covers therelease forfreecirculation, export, re-export orplacing
under asuspensive customs procedure (such astransit orwarehousing) ofgoods (including moulds,
matricesandpackaging,alsowhenpresentedseparately)suspectedofinfringingatrademark,acopyright
oraperformance right, oradesign right. Theprotection oftrademarks alsoincludes trademark symbols
(logo, label, sticker, brochure, instructions foruseorguarantee document), alsowhen theyarepresented
separately.
1Document IP/C/5IP/N/6/EEC/1
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Ontheother hand, thescope oftheEuropean Regulation doesnotcover:
- goods from another Member State oftheCommunity;
- goods ofanon-commercial nature contained intravellers 'personal luggage, ifthey
areunder thevalue limitforrelief from customs duty(ECU 175);
- goods manufactured withtheconsent oftheholder oftheright orwhich beara
trademark withhisconsent butwhich areimported orexported without hisconsent;
- goods manufactured orwhich bearatrademark under conditions otherthanthoseagreed
withtheholder oftherightinquestion.
16. Provide adescription ofthemain elements oftheprocedures relating tothesuspension
oftherelease ofgoods bycustoms authorities, inparticular thecompetent authorities
(Article 51),therequirements foranapplication (Article 52)andvarious requirements
related totheduration ofsuspension (Article 55). How have Articles 53(security or
equivalent assurance), 56(indemnification oftheimporter andoftheowner ofthegoods)
and57(right ofinspection andinformation) been implemented?
Themain elements oftheconditions governing action bythecustoms authorities arethe
following:
- Application foraction ismade ineachMember State separately;
- Application islodged withthenational competent customs authority designated byeach
Member State. Only onecustoms service iscompetent ineachMember State;
- Theholder oftheright ortheperson authorized tousetheright (aswellastheir
representative) shallprove, atthetimeoftheapplication, theirstatus, andshalldescribe
thegoods inquestion insufficient detail. They musthaveprotected theirrightinthe
Member Statewhere application foraction ismade (bymeans ofeither aninternational
oranational instrument). Moreover, theyshallprovide allother pertinent information
available tothem, without, however, thatinformation being acondition ofadmissibility
oftheapplication;
- Theproof ofthestatus astheholder shallbe:
- proof ofregistration (trademark ordesign right);
- proof oflodging (trademark ordesign right);
- anyproof ofauthorship orofstatus asoriginal holder (copyright, rightina
performance ordesign rightthatisunregistered orforwhich anapplication
hasnotbeenlodged);
- Where theapplicant isaperson authorized touseanintellectual property right, he
shall, withtheapplication, provide thedocument byvirtue ofwhich heisauthorized
tousetherightinquestion;
- Where theapplicant represents theholder oftherightortheperson authorized touse
theright, heshall, withtheapplication, provide theproof ofauthorization toact;IP/N/6/EEC/1
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- Thecompetent customs service shalldealwiththeapplication andshallforthwith notify
theapplicant inwriting ofitsdecision. Thisdecision shallspecify theperiod during
which thecustoms authorities shalltakeaction. Anyrefusal togrant anapplication
shallgivethereasons forrefusal andmaybethesubject ofanappeal;
- Member States mayrequire theholder ofarighttoprovide asecurity:
- tocover anyliability onhispartvis-à-vis thepersons involved inoneofthe
actionswheretheprocedureinitiatedisdiscontinuedowingtoanactoromission
bytheholder oftherightorwhere thegoods inquestion aresubsequently found
nottobecounterfeit orpirated;
- toensure payment ofthecosts incurred inkeeping thegoods under customs
control;
- Where acustoms office issatisfied thatgoods correspond tothedescription ofthose
contained inthedecision, itshallsuspend release ofthegoods ordetain them;
- Theservice which dealtwiththeapplication, theapplicant andthedeclarant shallbe
informed forthwith;
- Inaccordance withnational provisions relating tocommercial andindustrial secrecy
andprofessional andadministrative confidence, thecustoms authorities shallnotify
theholder oftheright, athisrequest, ofthename andaddress ofthedeclarant and,
ifknown, ofthose oftheconsignee;
- Theapplicant andthepersons involved inthecustoms operation mayinspect thegoods
whose release hasbeensuspended orwhich havebeendetained;
- Thecustoms office maytakesamples;
- Theperiod ofthesuspension ordetention istenworking days from thetimeof
notification ofthemeasure. If,within thistimelimit, thecustoms office hasnotbeen
informed thatthematter hasbeen referred totheauthority competent totakea
substantivedecisionorthatthedulyempoweredauthorityhasadoptedinterimmeasures,
thegoods shallbereleased (provided thecustoms formalities havebeencomplied with).
Inappropriate cases, thisperiod maybeextended byamaximum oftenworking days.
17. Describe provisions governing thelength andcostofproceedings. Provide anyavailable
dataontheactual duration ofproceedings andtheir cost. How longisthevalidity of
decisions bythecompetent authorities forthesuspension oftherelease ofgoods intofree
circulation?
Theprovisions governing thelength andcostofproceedings varyaccording toMember States.
Forexample, when anapplicant lodges anapplication foraction withthecompetent customs service,
hemaybecharged afeeincertain Member States. Theamount ofthefeediffers according tothe
Member State concerned.
Theduration ofthevalidity ofdecisions ofthecustoms authorities fallswithin national
competence.IP/N/6/EEC/1
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18. Arecompetent authorities required toactupon their owninitiative and,ifso,inwhat
circumstances? Arethere anyspecial provisions applicable toexofficio action?
IntheCommunity, thiskindofaction isoptional. But,ifaMember State provides forit,
thesystem isthenthefollowing.
Where, before anapplication hasbeenlodged, itappears evident tothecustoms office that
goods arecounterfeit orpirated, thecustoms authority maynotify theholder oftherightofapossible
infringement thereof. Thecustoms authority haspower tosuspend release ofthegoods ordetain them
foraperiod ofthree working daystoenable theholder oftherighttolodge anapplication foraction.
Thedeclarant shallbeinformed forthwith thereof.
19. Describe theremedies thatthecompetent authorities havetheauthority toorder andany
criteria regulating their use.
Thepossibility ofsuspending therelease forfreecirculation orretaining thesuspected goods
atthetimeoftheir export, re-export orentry forasuspensive customs procedure isprovided by
Regulation No.3295/94 of22December 1994. Anyother remedies thatthecompetent authorities
havetheauthority toorder come within thecompetence oftheMember States.
Criminal Procedures
20. Specify thecourts which have jurisdiction overcriminal actsofinfringement ofIPRs.
21. Inrespect ofwhich infringements ofwhich intellectual property rights arecriminal
procedures andpenalties available?
22. Which public authorities areresponsible forinitiating criminal proceedings? Arethey
required todothisontheir owninitiative and/or inresponse tocomplaints?
23. Doprivate persons have standing toinitiate criminal proceedings and,ifso,who?
24. Specify, bycategory ofIPRandtypeofinfringement where necessary, thepenalties and
other remedies thatmaybeimposed:
- imprisonment;
- monetary fines;
- seizure,forfeitureanddestructionofinfringinggoodsandmaterialsandimplements
fortheir production;
- other.
25. Describeprovisionsgoverningthelengthandanycostofproceedings.Provideanyavailable
dataontheactual duration ofproceedings andtheir cost, ifany.
Criminal matters fallwithin thecompetence oftheMember States. Article 11ofRegulation
No.3295/94 of22December 1994 provides onlythattheMember States havetointroduce penalties
toapply intheevent ofinfringements relating tointellectual property rights covered byRegulation
No.3295/94. Such penalties mustbesufficiently severe toencourage compliance withtherelevant
provisions.