WORLD TRADE IP/N/6/BEL/1
22August 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-3292)
Original: French Council forTrade-Related Aspects of
Intellectual Property Rights
CHECKLIST OFISSUES ONENFORCEMENT
Replies byBelgium toQuestions 15to19
Special requirements related toborder measures
15. Indicate forwhich goods itispossible toapply forthesuspension bythecustoms authorities
oftherelease intofreecirculation, inparticular whether these procedures areavailable alsoin
respect ofgoods which involve infringements ofintellectual property rights other thancounterfeit
trade mark orpirated copyright goods asdefined intheTRIPS Agreement (footnote toArticle 51).
Specify, together with relevant criteria, anyimports excluded from theapplication ofsuch
procedures (such asgoods from another member ofacustoms union, goods intransit ordeminimis
imports). Dotheprocedures apply toimports ofgoods putonthemarket inanother country
byorwiththeconsent oftheright holder andtogoods destined forexportation?
15.(a) Pursuant toArticle 1ofCouncil Regulation (EC)No.3295/94 of22December 1994, which
laysdown measures toprohibit therelease forfreecirculation, export, re-export orentry under a
suspensive procedure ofcounterfeit andpirated goods, suspension oftherelease ordetention ofgoods
maybeapplied inrelations withnon-EEC member countries when thegoods are:
- Placed onthemarket;
- inthecustoms warehouse;
- inexternal transit;
- forinward processing under thesuspensive procedure;
- forprocessing inbond;
- fortemporary admission;
- forexport;
- forre-export.
(b) Without prejudice toapplication ofArticle 29oftheCode ofCriminal Procedure, which obliges
officials toinform theRoyal Prosecutor ofanyoffence, thefollowing areexcluded from thescope
oftheaforementioned regulation:
- Temporary storage;
- internal transit;IP/N/6/BEL/1
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- inward processing under theeconomic regime;
- outward processing;
- freezones andbonded warehouses.
(c) Suspension oftherelease ordetention ofgoods onlyapplies togoods thatinfringe thefollowing
intellectual property rights:
- Trade mark rights;
- copyright andneighbouring rights;
- industrial design rights.
Thefirsttwomeans mentioned (proof ofregistration andproof ofdeposit) apply totheowners
oftrademarks orindustrial design rights. Forboththeserights, thetwomeans ofproof mustbetaken
intoconsideration. Ifthesupporting document isaBenelux certificate ofdeposit issued more than
oneyearpreviously, however, proof thatthecertificate isstillvalid isrequired.
Regarding thethirdmeans ofproof cited, Article 6.2oftheLawof30June1994oncopyright
andneighbouring rights provides that: "Unless otherwise proved, theauthor shallbedeemed tobe
theperson identified assuchonthework withhisownname orasignpermitting hisidentification."
Ifthere isadispute, proof istheresponsibility oftheinfringer (defendant), whomust usealllegal
means toshow thattheperson claiming tobetheowner oftherightisnotinfacttheowner.
Attention ishowever drawn tothefollowing special cases:
- Works ofcollaboration: forjointworks ofcollaboration andworks ofcollaboration
thatcanbeseparated, covered byArticles 4and5oftheaforementioned Law
respectively, itwillbenoted thattherights belong totheco-authors (ortheirsuccessors
intitle)for70years afterthedeath ofthelastsurviving co-author;
- anonymous andpseudonymous works: anonymous works (which donotbearany
indication oftheauthor 'sname) orpseudonymous works (where theauthor conceals
hisidentity under aborrowed name) mayappear tobeexceptions totherulethatthe
original owner isthecreator. Since thetrueauthor isnecessarily unknown, ithad
tobedetermined whowould betheowner oftherights inrelation tothirdparties and
especially whohadtheright toinstitute legal proceedings. Inthisparticular case,
Article 6.3oftheaforementioned Lawprovides thatthepublisher ofananonymous
orpseudonymous work isdeemed tobetheauthor inrelation tothirdparties. This
assumption isonlyvalidinrelation tothirdparties. Inother words, thecreator isstill
theowner oftherights inrelation tothepublisher, unless heassigns hisrights tothe
latter;
- posthumous works: Article 2.6oftheaforementioned Lawstates thatanyperson who,
afterexpiryofcopyrightprotection(70yearsaftertheauthor'sdeath),lawfullypublishes
orcommunicates tothepublic forthefirsttimeaworknotpreviously published benefits
from protection equal totheauthor 'seconomic rights. Ittherefore follows that,for
posthumous works published lessthan70years afterthedeath oftheauthor, theheirs
orlegatees remain theowners ofrights inthework.IP/N/6/BEL/1
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With regard tothetitleunder which aperson whoisnottheowner oftherightisauthorized
toutilize theright, boththeharmonized Benelux Laws ontrade marks andindustrial designs aswell
astheCommunity trademark regulations provide thatthegranting ofarightofusemustbethesubject
ofalicensing agreement andthat,inorder tobeusedasevidence against third parties, itmust be
registered inthetrademark register (ortheindustrial design register, whichever isrelevant). Aperson
claiming thetitlereferred toinArticle 2(b)oftheimplementing regulations mustprovide proof that
hisrighttoalicence hasbeenentered intheregister. Inaddition, thetrade mark procedure includes
aspecial category oftrade marks whose useisauthorized foraspecified group ofpersons. These
arecollective trade marks, which areregistered assuchinthename ofanassociation orgroup of
enterprises. Deposit ofsuchtrademarks mustbeaccompanied byregulations onuseofthetrademark
indicating thepersons authorized touseitontheirproducts. Inthisparticular case(ofrather limited
scope), thetitleoflegitimate userofthetrademark mustbeproved inconformity withtheregulations
onusedeposited.
Iftherepresentative isbound byanagency contract totheowner oftherightoranyother person
authorizedtousetherightssetoutinCouncilRegulation(EC)No.3295/94,hemayprovehisentitlement
asarepresentative bypresenting apower ofattorney signed bytheprincipal. Thepower ofattorney
maybeaprivate agreement oranauthenticated agreement (seeArticle 1985 oftheCivil Code).
Iftheperson represents acommercial company oracommercial-type non-trading company,
hemayprove hisstatus asarepresentative ofthecompany bypresenting acopyoftheactsofassociation
(statutes ofthecompany) oracopyoftheirpublication intheOfficial Journal ofthecountry where
thecompany hasitsheadquarters.
(d) Goods ofanon-commercial nature inthepersonal luggage oftravellers within thelimits fixed
forcustoms-free entry arealsoexcluded from thescope oftheregulations inquestion.
(e) Theaforementioned regulations donotapply togoods bearing atrade mark withtheconsent
oftheowner ofthetrade mark orprotected bycopyright orneighbouring ordesign rightandwhich
havebeenmanufactured withtheconsent oftheowner oftherightbutareplaced inoneofthesituations
referred toinparagraph (a)above without thelatter'sconsent.
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 orequivalent assurance), 56
(indemnification oftheimporter andoftheowner ofthegoods) and57(right ofinspection and
information) been implemented?
16.(a) TheDirector-General oftheCustoms andExcise Authority isresponsible forreceiving and
dealing withrequests foraction byowners ofrights. Suchrequests should bemade tothefollowing
address:
Administration centrale desdouanes etaccises
Division Procédures douanières (direction 13)
Section Contrefa çonetPiraterie
Citéadministrative del'Etat-Tour Finances
Boulevard dujardin botanique, 50-Bte37
1010 Brussels
Tel: 32+2+210.31.64
Fax: 32+2+210.32.47IP/N/6/BEL/1
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(b) Suspension oftherelease ordetention ofgoods maybeauthorized during aperiod of10working
daysfrom thedateoftheapplicant 'snotification inorder toallow theowner oftherighttoprovide
evidence ofreferral ofthecasetothelegalauthority competent totakeasubstantive decision.
(c) Proof ofthestatus ofowner oftheright, which must accompany therequest, consists of:
- Proof ofregistration;
- proof ofsubmission ofanapplication;
- anyevidence proving thestatus ofauthor ororiginal owner.
Under theBenelux system ofharmonized laws, anynatural orlegalperson mayrepresent an
applicant provided thathepresents apower ofattorney. Thisobligation alsoapplies tolawyers
responsible forapplying foratrademark orindustrial design right. InBelgium, however, thegeneral
lawonlegalproceedings states thatalawyer registered withthebarisdeemed torepresent hisclient
because hehasthesupporting documents. Itappears logical toapply thisruletotheactofalawyer
infiling theapplication referred toinRegulation No.3295/94. Where relevant, themeasures taken
bythecustoms authorities must befollowed bylegalproceedings.
Where there areoneormore collecting societies whose solepurpose oroneofwhose main
purposes istomanage oradminister copyright orneighbouring rights, ortheyassume tohave
theright toact?
Theanswer tothisquestion isyes;Article 73oftheLawof30June1994 onCopyright and
Neighbouring Rights (M.B. 27July1994, err.M.B. 22November 1994) states that"societies
administering rights havetherighttoinstitute legalproceedings todefend therights thatarestatutorily
theirresponsibility".
(d) Security equivalent tothecustoms orstatistical value ofthegoods, according towhether or
notthegoods arefromtheCommunity, foraminimum amount of100,000 BFmustbeprovided by
theowner oftherightwithin 10working daysfollowing suspension ofthegoods. Thesecurity isto
cover costs suchasstorage anddamages payable totheimporter ifitisproved thatthegoods arenot
counterfeit orpirated.
(e) Inapplication oftheprovisions onprofessional secrecy inArticle 320oftheGeneral Customs
andExcise Law, coordinated on18July1977, asample ofthegoods maybeinspected bytheowner
oftherightbutnoother information maybegiven tohim.
17. Describe provisions governing thelength andcostofproceedings. Provide anyavailable
dataontheactual duration ofproceedings andtheir cost. How longisthevalidity ofdecisions
bythecompetent authorities forthesuspension oftherelease ofgoods intofreecirculation?
Nofeesarepayable forprocessing therequest when itismade bytheowner oftheright.
Thedecision granting therequest foraction made bytheowner oftheright isvalid for
sixmonths andrenewable upon request.IP/N/6/BEL/1
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18. Arecompetent authorities required toactupon their owninitiative and,ifso,inwhat
circumstances? Arethere anyspecial provisions applicable toexofficio action?
Counterfeit orpirated goods forwhich norequest foraction hasbeenfiledbytheowner of
therightmaybedetained forthree working days. Before expiry ofthisperiod, theowner oftheright
mustsubmit arequest foraction: ifhedoesnot,thegoods arereleased following completion ofcustoms
formalities.
19. Describe theremedies thatthecompetent authorities havetheauthority toorder andany
criteria regulating their use.
Without prejudice totheother rights ofaction opentotheowner ofatrademark which isfound
tohavebeencounterfeited ortheowner ofacopyright orneighbouring rightorofanindustrial design
right which isfound tohavebeenpirated, Member States takethemeasures necessary toallow the
competent authorities:
- Asageneral ruleandinaccordance withtherelevant provisions ofdomestic law,to
destroy goods found tobecounterfeit orpirated ordispose ofthemoutside commercial
channels insuch awayastopreclude injury totheowner oftheright, without
compensation ofanysortandatnocosttotheExchequer;
- totake, inrespect ofsuchgoods, anyother measures which effectively deprive the
persons concerned oftheeconomic benefits ofthetransaction.
Thefollowing inparticular arenotregarded ashaving sucheffect:
- Re-exporting thecounterfeit orpirated goods intheunaltered state;
- other thaninexceptional cases, simply removing thetrade marks which havebeen
affixed tothecounterfeit goods without authorization;
- placing thegoods under adifferent customs procedure.
Counterfeit andpirated goods maybehanded overtotheExchequer.