Comprehensive lecture notes for the course ‘International and European Intellectual Property Law’ with a complementary case-law summary, which serves as a great tool for the exam.
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CONCISE NOTES FOR INTERNATIONAL & EUROPEAN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW
WEEK 1
INTRODUCTION
Intellectual property rights: legal rights granted to individuals or entities to protect their creations and
innovations; provide exclusive control and ownership over the use, reproduction, distribution, and
commercial exploitation of intellectual property
Types of intellectual property rights:
- Patents
- Designs
- Utility models
- Copyright
- Semiconductor topography rights
- Geographical indications
- Trademarks
- Plant varieties
- Related rights
Other intellectual/intangible assets: known-how, domain names & trade secrets
Common characteristics
1. Immaterial/intangible character of IP
a. Intellectual creations (intangible, non-physical form)
b. Protect immaterial goods/intellectual creations fixed in some tangible form; while we need
tangible format, only intangible assets are protected
2. Outcome stemming from a creative mental human activity
a. Human aspect, creativity & expression (i.e. implementation of idea)
b. In the industrial, scientific, literary, and artistic field
3. Property aspect
a. Attributes to their holders the legal power to use and to exclude others from using the
immaterial good in question for a limited period of time
i. Grants author‘s exclusive rights to prohibit use and exploitation of rights and
protect creation from free-riding; it thus has negative nature (i.e. forbids) →
author can use right in exclusive & exclusionary ways = use & exclude
ii. Difference between classic property of tangible objects & intellectual property of
immaterial goods: expiration date → set duration of time for IP rights, typically of
70 years (with the exception of trademark which is perpetual & renewable); this is
not the case for classical property
4. Balance aspect
a. Balancing exclusionary interests of their holders and access interests of third parties
i. Example: vaccine; incentive for innovation for pharmaceuticals vs public health
→ patent vs right to health
Why is intellectual property important?
- Protects creations of mind and clearly establishes who owns what
- Enables people to earn recognition or financial benefit
- Promotes innovation and creativity, develops employment & improves competitiveness (and thus
consumer welfare)
- Attracts investments
- Can be licensed or transferred
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, - Gives exclusive rights & thus third parties can be excluded from using the same invention,
creation, etc.
- Source of information and knowledge
- Can be used as a key negotiating tool; a “deal-maker”
Countries generally have laws to protect IP for two main reasons:
1. To give statutory expression to the rights of creators and innovators in their creations and
innovations, balanced against the public interest in accessing creations and innovations
2. To promote, as a deliberate act of governance policy creativity and innovation and to encourage
fair trading, so contributing to economic and social development
These take on the following shape via different concepts:
1. Idealistic/natural (non-utilitarian) foundations
a. Emphasize the link between the creator and their intellectual creation as the reason for
granting intellectual property rights
2. Utilitarian foundation
a. Focusing on the effects which the use of intellectual property rights have for society
(innovation, competition, consumer satisfaction)
Public domain
Both natural rights and utilitarian justifications recognize the need for the protection of the ‘public domain’
→ space of intellectual property that is no longer and/or not protected by such rights (eg. expired
protection)
Otherwise, incentivise to innovate will be rendered difficult – it would create obstacles to inspiration &
legal obstacles; the public domain allows people to freely build upon existing knowledge & creations,
which is crucial for progress and prosperity
+ Social contract: one can obtain exclusivity and IP rights, but in exchange, society expects a return
in the form of increased innovation, creativity & prosperity — a balance in which creator gets
temporary monopoly rights, but society ultimately benefits through the advancement of
knowledge, culture and technology upon its expiry
International IP law
Principle of territoriality
● IPRs are not universal but are limited in their effect to the territory of the state under the laws of
which they have been granted; they exist and can be exercised only within the jurisdiction of the
country or countries under whose laws they are granted
Principle of national (non-discriminatory) treatment
● A state must protect foreigners in the same way it protects its own nationals
Principle of minimum standards of IP protection
● Set of minimum rights to be granted to the beneficiaries of the Convention
Why is internalization of IP needed?
- Territorial restrictions (particularly given how the Internet transcends this)
- Increase in international trade → convenience
- Need for international protection
- Works of the mind, including innovative ideas, do and should cross frontiers with ease in a world
of interdependent nations
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