Seminar on Intellectual Property

and Private International Law

Organized by
the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
and
the International Law Association (ILA)
January 16, 2015
 The American Law Institute

Project on Intellectual Property: Principles

Governing Jurisdiction, Choice of Law, and
Judgments in Transnational Disputes
(2008)

Reporters
Rochelle Dreyfuss
Jane Ginsburg
François Dessemontet
 Goals
• Streamline litigation
– improve enforcement and bring finality to multinational disputes
– preserve the resources of the parties and the judiciary
– eliminate fears of redundant or inadequate liability
– avoid inconsistent judgments
• Deal with issues raised by the Internet
– remote access
– ubiquitous dissemination
– divided infringement
• Aspirational (not the law of the United States)
– co-reporters and advisors were multinational
• Credible: preserve constitutive values
– procedural due process
– substantive commitments, e.g. those embedded in intellectual property law
• Initiate discussion on applicable law for transnational cases
 Features
1. Scope
2. Jurisdiction:
- personal
- subject matter
- coordination
3. Coordination of disputes:
- cooperation
- consolidation
4. Applicable law:
- infringement
- ownership
5. Enforcement:
- recognition
- remedies
 Scope: §102(1)
1. Rights
a. Unregistered rights
- copyright and neighboring rights
- trade secrets
- unregistered trademarks
b. Registered rights
- patents (infringement; validity is a problem)
- registered trademarks
- geographic indications
- domain names (in trademark disputes)

2. Limit: transnational civil dispute

a. Claim or defense under the IP law of another State
b. Claim arising out of activities outside the forum State
 Jurisdiction: Personal, §§ 201-206

1. General jurisdiction
a. Defendant’s residence (§ 201)
b. Defendant’s appearance (§ 203)

2. Specific jurisdiction
a. Forum selection clause (§ 202)
- with reasonableness safeguards for standard form agreements
b. A defendant may be sued at the place where rights controlled by an
agreement are in issue (§ 205)
 Jurisdiction: Personal, §§ 201-206 (cont’d)
2. Specific jurisdiction (cont’d):
c. Infringement (§ 204):

1. A person may be sued in any State in which that person has

substantially acted, or taken substantial preparatory acts, to initiate or to
further an alleged infringement.
The court’s jurisdiction extends to claims respecting all injuries arising out of the conduct
within the State that initiates or furthers the alleged infringement, wherever the injuries
occur.

2. A person may be sued in any State in which that person’s activities give
rise to an infringement claim, if that person directed those activities to
that State.
The court’s jurisdiction extends to claims respecting injuries occurring in that State.

3. Special rule for persons who cannot be sued in a WTO member

 Jurisdiction: Personal, §§ 201-206 (cont’d)
2. Specific jurisdiction (cont’d):
d. Multiple parties (§ 206):

All defendants may be joined at the residence of one defendant if there is

a risk of inconsistent judgments and
- there is a substantial connection between the state’s IPRs and the
dispute or
- there is no forum more closely connected to the entire dispute

The suit can encompass the full geographic range of the harm
 Jurisdiction: Subject Matter, §§ 211-14
Principles:
- Where possible, parties should present court with all transactionally
related claims
- BUT: no compulsory joinder

- Declaratory judgment actions are generally permitted

- Exception: validity of registered rights
- claims regarding the validity of a single registered right should be heard
where the right is registered
- claims involving the validity of multiple registered rights may be heard
where the defendant is resident, but the judgment is valid only inter se

- Every court has power to award local provisional or protective

measures; may aid the court that is hearing the case
- The court with power over the case as a whole may order trans-border
provisional relief
 Jurisdiction: Coordination Authority, §§ 221-23
1. In general, the court first seized with a claim in the transaction or
series of transactions has “coordination authority” over the entire
dispute
- exception for declaratory judgment actions (torpedo problem)

2. The coordination court determines:

- whether to coordinate
- how to coordinate (consolidation vs. cooperation)
- if consolidation, where (in which court)
- if cooperation, the structure of the litigation
 Applicable Law: territoriality with exceptions
1. Infringement: in general, principle of territoriality (§ 301):

On issues of existence, validity, duration, attributes, infringement and

remedies:

- registered rights: the law of the state of registration

- other IP rights: where protection is sought—i.e. the infringing act

has or will have an impact

- unfair competition: the law of the state where which the act giving
rise to the damage occurred
 Applicable Law, cont’d
Exception: Ubiquitous infringement and the laws of multiple States are
pleaded (§ 321):

- on the issues of existence, validity, duration, attributes,

infringement, and remedies, the law(s) of the State(s) with close
connections to the dispute, as determined by:
- the residence of the parties
- the relationship between the parties
- the location of their activities and investments
- the principal markets for the work

- if a party proves that particular State laws differ from those

chosen, the court must take into account such differences in
determining the scope of liability and remedies.
 Applicable Law, cont’d
2. Ownership (§§ 311-15):

a. Initial title:

- registered rights: the law of the country of registration.

- nonregistered trademarks: the law of each country where the mark

acts as a symbol

- other rights (derogation from territoriality): the law of the creator’s

residence when the work was created

- if the subject matter is not protected under that law, then the
law of the first place of exploitation where the subject matter is
protected (the Prince William problem)
 Applicable Law, cont’d
b. Transferability (whether the right can be transferred)(§ 314),
territoriality:
- the law of each state for which the rights are transferred
determines whether they can be transferred

c. Transfers (whether the right was transferred)(§ 315):

- the law designated in the contract (with reasonableness
safeguards for standard form agreements)
- if no designation, the law of the state most closely connected to
the transfer

d. Residual rules, §§ 322-323

- ordre public (public policy of the forum)
- mandatory rules (including mandatory rules of foreign States
whose laws apply)
 Enforcement, Recognition, and Remedies
General principles (§ 401-412):

- In order to be recognized, the judgment must be final and not

stayed where rendered

- The preclusive effect of a judgment is no greater than its

preclusive effect where rendered

- Both damage and injunctive relief are enforceable. However, the

parties cannot do indirectly that which they cannot do directly.
- the enforcing court need not award noncompensatory
damages or injunctive relief if it would not have awarded them
as the rendering court, but if declines to enter injunction must
grant monetary relief in lieu of the injunction

- Remedies are severable from the right of action

- Safety valve for fundamental public policies of enforcement court

 Example
E-pod is headquartered in Freedonia; its servers are located in Xandia. Its
English language website offers music downloading services worldwide and it
accepts credit-card payments in multiple currencies.
E-pod has not, however, obtained copyright licenses from the authors,
performers, or producers of the works it makes available.
The one-click checkout system E-pod’s website employs may infringe patents
registered in various countries (Patria1, Patria2, etc). Finally, E-pod has
received a cease-and-desist letter from Apple Inc., which holds worldwide
trademark rights in iPod for online music-delivery services.
 Example, cont’d
1. Scope: this is a transnational case so the Principles would apply

2. Jurisdiction:
a. Personal Jurisdiction
- In Freedonia, there is general jurisdiction over all world wide claims (defendant’s
residence)
- In Xandia, there is specific jurisdiction, but it covers all worldwide claims
attributable to the activities in Xandia (substantially acted)
- In Patrias, there is specific jurisdiction limited to local acts (if directed)

b. Subject matter jurisdiction (e.g. in Freedonia)

- Copyright and unregistered trademark rights: all can be asserted
- Foreign patent and trademark rights: can be decided only inter se
c. Coordination (e.g. if suits are brought in several Patrias)
- the first court seized would determine if the case should be
consolidated in one court (and choose the court) or coordinated (and
how coordination would proceed)
 Example, cont’d
3. Applicable law
- Patent and registered rights: law of the country of registration
- Unregistered trademarks: law of each country where the mark is distinctive
- Copyright: law of each country of infringement

Exception: if the infringement is ubiquitous, the law(s) of the State(s) with

close connections to the dispute
- Freedonia or Xandian law could apply (if not IP “havens”)
- Either party could prove that the laws of other states of download differ

4. Enforcement: if the case had been brought in a State with jurisdiction over
the entire dispute (e.g. Freedonia or Xandia):
- If the Principles were followed, other courts should enforce and recognize the
judgment
- Monetary relief: up to the amount each state would have awarded
- Injunctive relief: if not available in jurisdiction of enforcement, that jurisdiction
should award damages in lieu of injunctive relief
 The CLIP Principles
of the European Max Planck Group on
Conflict of Laws in Intellectual Property
Josef Drexl
 History
• Initiative of two Max Planck Institutes
- for Comparative and International Private Law (Hamburg)
- for Intellectual Property and Competition Law (now:
Innovation and Competition; Munich)
• Also colleagues from the Netherlands, the UK, Spain, France,
Estonia
• 7 years of preparatory work and 18 meetings
• Official date: 1 December 2011
• Published with Comments and Notes by OUP 2013
 Reasons
• Growing importance due to online exploitation – multi-State
and worldwide infringements
• Incentives from the ALI Project
 CLIP as a European response
• Development of international and European law
- Hague Conference and jurisdiction
- Brussels I, Rome I and Rome II in the EU
- UNCITRAL Supplement on Security Rights in IP (2011)
• Increasing number of court cases
 Objectives
Four Dimensions Objectives Addressees

Existing law Interpreting and supplementing Court, arbitration tribunals

existing laws on the national,
regional and international level
Future law A ‘model law’ for the national, Legislatures, states,
regional and international level international organizations

Existing/future law ‘General principles of private Courts, arbitration

international law in IP’ tribunals

Transactions Assisting private parties in Private parties

shaping their legal relationships
 Structure
Part 1: Purpose and Scope

Part 2: Jurisdiction

Part 3: Applicable Law

Part 4: Recognition and Enforcement

 CLIP Principles strive for “Completeness”

 Policy Considerations
• Internationally usable
but: building on European legal traditions;
giving weight to European solutions;
no restatement of EU law
even: proposing reform of EU law where needed

• Striking a balance between

what is internationally acceptable and
progressive solutions for new problems

• Striking a balance between

considerations of private international law and
the interests involved in IP
 Progressive Solutions and New Topics!

(1) Ubiquitous infringement (Art. 3:603)

- Objective: application of a single law in cases of ubiquitous infringement in the
interest of right-holders in deviation from the country-of-destination principle
- Also know in ALI Principles; but CLIP more conservative
(2) Secondary infringement (Art. 3:604)
- Objective: application of a single law, that can be determined prior to the
direct infringement, in the interest of service providers
- No ubiquitous infringement required
- Not addressed by other projects
(3) Security rights in IP (Art. 3:801‐3:802)
- Objective: promoting securitization of IP through legal certainty; striking a
balance between the interests of contracting parties and third parties
- Not addressed by other projects
 Is CLIP too traditional?
The case of initial ownership
- CLIP Principles apply the country-of-protection rule without any exception
(not even for employment contracts)
- ALI Principles and the Joint Japanese-Korean Proposal apply the universality
for unregistered rights and for the case of preexisting relationships

But: Comments show room for compromise

- No uniform position within CLIP group
- A case on how to balance conflicting interests, rather than ideology;
same results could be achieved through contract interpretation
- Different solution possible in an international agreement
 Impact
(1) Reform of the Brussels I Regulation
“Hess Report” (2007) on the working of Brussels I follows the critique of the CLIP
group on CJEU in the two patent cases of GAT v. LuK

(2) AG Trstenjak (2011) in C-145/10 Painer: Actions against multiple defendants

 Citing CLIP (Art. 2:206) as support of her critique on the CJEU in Roche
Nederland – Consolidation of proceedings in cases of concerted action by a
group of undertakings despite application of different national laws
 CJEU: Application of the same national law as only “one” factor for
irreconcilable judgments

(3) Lucasfilm v. Ainsworth (UK Supreme Court 2011)

- Permissibility of actions for copyright infringement in the US against a
defendant in the UK, thereby rejecting the holding of the CA
- Jacob LJ cites both ALI and CLIP as the modern approach
Transparency Project (2004-2009):
Cross-border IP disputes and Japan
Toshiyuki Kono
Kyushu University
Japan
What is the Transparency Project?
http://www.tomeika.jur.kyushu-u.ac.jp/

Information in important fields of Japanese

business law – corporate law, commercial law, IP
law, finance law, insolvency law, private
international law etc.
 Some cases
• Card Reader Case (Jap. Supreme Court, Sep.26,
2002): law applicable to infringement of US-
patent and injunction

• Nippon Steel and Sumitomo Metal vs. Posco

(pending at Tokyo District Court): jurisdiction
over foreign defendant on know-how
infringement
• Lege ferenda for the reform of Japanese law
No IP-related provision of jurisdiction or choice of law in
Japanese law until 2011

Provisions on international jurisdiction in Jap. CCP since

2011;
Scope –jurisdiction of Jap. Courts only

No IP specific jurisdiction or choice of law rules, except

Art. 3-5 (3) of JCCP: existence or validity of in-Japan-
registered IP -- exclusive jurisdiction of Jap. Courts
• Other three projects – internationally
applicable Principles
Cf. Proposals of the Transparency Project – lege
ferenda with domestic scope, but global
considerations
no provision on co-operation between foreign
and Japanese courts
• Scope
• Jurisdiction
joinder instead of consolidation of claims
(Art.110)
• Coordination of proceedings (lis pendence)
• Applicable law
• Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign
Judgments
• Art. 302: Ubiquitous infringement
Cf.
ALI 321 (close connection)
CLIP 3:603 (the closest connection)
Choice by the claimant
Habitual residence of the victim
Habitual residence of the infringer
The place of maximized results of exploitation
Intellectual Property in the Global Arena –
Jurisdiction, Applicable Law, and the recognition
of Judgments in Europe, Japan and the US,
eds. by Axel Metzger, Juergen Basedow,
Toshiyuki Kono (Mohr Siebeck 2010) pp.394-402.
 Principles of Private International
Law on Intellectual Property Rights
(Japan-Korean Principles)
Gyooho Lee
(Professor of Law, Chung-Ang University
School of Law (Seoul, Republic of Korea))
 Table of Contents
• Purpose and Scope
• Working Group
• History of Japan-Korean Principles
• General Provisions
• International Jurisdiction
• Choice of Law
• Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign
Judgments
• Conclusion
 Purpose and Scope
I. Purpose (Art. 101 (1) and its explanatory notes)

To create a model law which can provide influence

over legislation in East Asian countries
• Considering that most East Asian countries have civil law tradition
and allow less room for judicial discretion than common law
countries.

To restate and confirm rules which are commonly and

internationally agreeable
• Taking into account ALI Principles, CLIP Principles and other pre-
existing projects, and current relevant legal regimes in East Asian
countries
 Purpose and Scope

To provide a set of guidelines for judicial interpretation and a supplemental source of

laws for issues which are not covered by statutes

• The Principles of Private International Law on Intellectual Property Rights

(Joint Proposal Drafted by Members of the Private International Law
Association of Japan and Korea) was inspired by the wordings of ALI
Principles and CLIP Principles.
• Japan-Korean Principles focus on intellectual property rights rather than
intellectual property.
 Purpose and Scope
II. Scope (Art. 101 (2))
“These Principles apply to any transnational civil
disputes that involve the existence, effect, validity,
infringement, and contract of intellectual property rights.”
• Applicable to the issues of intellectual property rights, including
existence, infringements and contracts of those rights as well as
disputes arising our of them.
• Applicable to the conclusion of license agreements that are not
necessarily accompanied by IP rights-related disputes.
• Covering the non-disputed conclusion of licensing issues.
 Working Group
Japan (7 persons) Korea (6 persons)
• Prof. Shoichi Kidana (former Professor, • Mr. Kong-Woong Choe, Esq. (President
Graduate School of Law, Waseda University) emeritus of the Korean Private International
• The late Prof. Hiroshi Matsuoka (Professor Law Association, Attorney at Law of Yoon &
emeritus of Osaka University; a former Yang)
President of Private International Law • Prof. Kyung-Han Sohn (President of the
Association of Japan) Korean Private International Law Association;
• Prof. Satoshi Watanabe (Professor emeritus Professor at Sungkyungwan University School
of Osaka University; Professor of Ritsumeikan of Law)
University) • Prof. Kwang Hyun Suk (Vice President of
• Prof. Yoshiaki Sakurada (Professor emeritus KOPILA; Professor at Seoul National
of Kyoto University; a former President of University School of Law)
Private International Law of Japan; Professor • Hon. Seong Ho Lee (President, Seoul Central
of Kohnan University) District Court)
• Prof. Masato Dougauchi (Professor of • Hon. Tae Ak Rho (Vice President of KOPILA;
Waseda University) Chief Judge, Suwon District Court)
• Prof. Yoshiaki Nomura (Professor of Osaka • Prof. Gyooho Lee (Director of KOPILA, Chung-
University) Ang University School of Law)
• Prof. Syunichiro Nakano (Professor of Kobe
University)
 History of Japan-Korean Principles
• Feb. 2004: Commencement
• Dec. 2006: Public Symposium held at Waseda
University
• Korean Proposals: 2006 version, 2008 version, 2009 version
• Japanese Proposals: March 2009
• Sep. 2009: Seminar at Chung-Ang University of Korea
• Sept. 2010: Seminar at Seoul National University of Korea
• October 24, 2010 : Joint Japan-Korean Proposal was drafted
• Jan. 29 and 30, 2011: Explained and discussed at a public
symposium held at Waseda University
International Conference Center
 General Provisions
• “the rights created over the intangible property
derived from human being’s creative activities,
including invention, device, new plant variety,
Intellectual property rights industrial design, works and trademarks of commodity
(Art. 102 (2)) as well as service.”
• IP rights under Japan-Korean Principles are not limited
to exclusive rights.

Registered and non-

registered intellectual • Registered intellectual property right means the
intellectual property right that is not valid unless and
property rights (Art. 102 until registered or deposited.
(3))
• State: “A territory with an independent legislative and
judicial body rather than a sovereign state in the sense
State (Art. 102 (4)) of international law”
• E.g.: North Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macao are
considered as “States.”
 General Provisions
• “the state where intellectual property rights are registered or
State of deposited or where those rights are deemed to have been
registered or deposited under the international convention or
Registration (Art. domestic law.”
102(5)) • Lex protectionis is the superordinate concept of the state of
registration
• Re natural person: “the place where the party concerned
habitually resides for a rather long time, including his or her
Habitual residence principal office or place of business”
• Re corporation or any other legal person: “the place where
(Art. 102 (6)) the head office of a corporation or any other legal person is
located, and the place under the law of which that
corporation or legal person is established.”

• Enforcement: “the use of intellectual property rights,

Enforcement (Art. such as utilization of patented inventions, utility
devices, new plant varieties, industrial designs,
102 (7)) trademarks, copyrights, and other similar rights”
•
 General Provisions
• Art. 103: Application of foreign laws and
international [judicial] jurisdiction
Art. 103 (1): “The forum court, which has international judicial(sic)
jurisdiction under these Principles, can not apply any other
substantive law that is applicable under these Principles.”
• Self-evident provision, but necessary to be applied to East Asian States.

Art. 103 (2): “The forum court, which has international judicial(sic)
jurisdiction under these Principles, must not dismiss proceedings or
reject claims merely because the case arises from foreign matters.”
• Meaningful in terms of forum non conveniens and exclusive jurisdiction
 International Jurisdiction
Art. 207: Objective consolidation
(1) In the case that the plaintiff has more than one claim against the same defendant, the court
that has international judicial (sic) jurisdiction over one of those claims may have international
judicial(sic) jurisdiction over one of those claims may have international judicial (sic)
jurisdiction over any other claim that closely connects with the former. However, subject to
the international judicial (sic) jurisdiction derived from the provision of Article 203 (2), any
claim arising out of transaction or infringement occurring in any state other than the forum
state may not be consolidated.

• Taking into account Ultra-man case(2nd Division, Supreme Court of Japan, July 24, 2002, Civil Cases Report, Number 4, Vol. 44,
p. 727) and Amended Civil Procedure Code in Japan, and a Korean court decision (Judgment rendered by the Inchon District
Court on July 24, 2003)

Art. 207: Objective consolidation

(2) The consolidation of claims subject to the preceding paragraph shall not be contrary to Article
209.
• Any dispute arising out of acquisition and validity of IPRs is exclusively resolved in the state of
registration.
 International Jurisdiction
Art. 211: Consideration of “special circumstances”
The court that has international judicial (sic) jurisdiction under the provisions of Article 201-208
and the preceding Article, when it finds that there are special circumstances that will be
harmful to fairness between the parties and prevent due process or prompt trial, considering
the nature of the action, convenience for the defendant to enter an appearance, domiciles of
the parties and witnesses to be examined, the location of material evidence to be collected, and
any other circumstances, may dismiss an action partly or wholly.

• Pivotal Deal-breaker

Special circumstances (Japanese Group) vs. Substantial connection test (Korean Group)

Strong debate between Korean and Japanese Groups.

 Due to the debate on this issue, they nearly failed to come up with Joint Proposal.
International Jurisdiction
The Korean Preliminary Draft (Art. 201, Dec. 11th,
2006; Article 8, March 26, 2009)
• “the state which has no substantial connection with either the
parties or the case in dispute” shall not have jurisdiction.
• Cf. the Korean Private International Act of 2001 adopts
substantial connection test to decide international jurisdiction
(Art. 2(1) of the Korean Private International Act)

Japanese Group
Japanese Preliminary Draft of 2008 (Dec. 15, 2008)
• Relying on the Japanese case law rendered on basis of special
circumstances doctrine
 International Jurisdiction

Article 212: Prohibited bases for jurisdiction

For the purpose of these Principles, the court must not exercise international
judicial(sic) jurisdiction solely on the basis of one or more of the following:
(i) The nationality or habitual residence of the plaintiff in the forum state;
(ii) The nationality of the defendant in the forum state;
(iii) The temporary presence of defendant or service of writ upon the defendant;
(iv) The performance of the formalities necessary to enter into a contract.

• Under this Article, the substantial connection test supported by the Korean Group
was employed (Explanatory notes of Art. 212).
• This Principles enumerate the typical circumstances under which the forum state
is not substantially related to the dispute, listing them as negative grounds for
jurisdiction
 Choice of Law
Relationship between lex loci protectionis and the state of
registration

Art. 301: General principles on applicable law

(1) All matters concerning an intellectual property right as such, including its existence,
validity, content, and revocation, shall be governed by lex protectionis otherwise
provided by these Principles.
(2) Subject to the preceding paragraph, lex protectionis is the law of the state for which
protection is sought. In the case of a registered intellectual property right, this state is
presumed to be the state in which that right is or will be registered, or which is deemed
to be a state of registration under the convention to which state belongs or the local
law of that state.

• Para. (1): Default rule == lex protectionis

• Para. (2) defines lex protectionis.  Japan-Korean Principles state the state of
registration as an example of the state of protection
 Choice of Law
Article 302: Agreement on applicable law
(1) The parties may at any time designated a law that will govern all or
part of their dispute. However, where that agreement on applicable
law is concerned with the matters of an intellectual property right as
such, including its existence, validity, revocation, and transferability,
that agreement affects only the contracting parties.
(2) The parties’ agreement on applicable law may not affect the vested
rights of third parties.
(3) The law designated by the parties governs the existence and
validity of the parties’ agreement on applicable law

• Art. 302 respects the party autonomy as much as possible, taking into account the current
development of rules which have yet to be established for the protection of IPRs in East
Asian countries.
 Choice of Law
Art. 308: Initial Ownership
(1) Initial ownership of intellectual property rights is governed by the law of the state for
which protection is sought.
(2) Initial ownership of a copyrighted work is governed by the law of the state in which the
copyrighted work is initially created. If the law of this state is not clear, the applicable law is
assumed to be the law of the creator’s habitual residence at the time of creation. If there is
more than one creator, the applicable law is assumed to be the law of a creator’s habitual
residence at the time of the creation, as designated by agreement between or among the
creators. In the absence of such an agreement, the applicable law is assumed to be the law
of the state in which the majority of the creators habitually reside at the time of the
creation.
(3) If the applicable law under paragraph (2) does not extend protection to intellectual
property, then the initial ownership is governed by the law of the state in which the subject
matter is first exploited and protected.
(4) If the intellectual property right was vested pursuant to an employment or any other
preexisting relationship, the applicable law is the law governing that contract or relationship.
 Choice of Law
• Para. (1): Default rule  lex loci protectionis
• Para. (2): the law governing the initial ownership
to copyrights.
• Para. (3): A supplemental rule applicable to non-
registered IP.  the law of the state in which the
subject matter is first exploited and protected
• Para. (4): initial ownership to patents and
copyrights in cases of employees’ inventions or
works and those created arising from other pre-
existing relationships. = the law governing that
contract or relationship
 Recognition and Enforcement of
Foreign Judgments
Art. 403: Injunctions and other remedies
A foreign injunctive relief and other remedies, including the
case of infringement, seizure and destruction of infringing
articles, and the means of their manufacture of reproduction,
may be recognized or enforced as long as equitable measures
are available under the same condition in the state in which
the requested court lies.
• Cf. Section 412 (1) of ALI Principles
• Article 403 simply prescribes that foreign judgments ordering injunction or
destruction can be subject to recognition or enforcement under Art. 401,
which states grounds under which foreign judgments are not to be recognised
or enforced.
 Recognition and Enforcement of
Foreign Judgments
Art. 406: Foreign judgment inconsistent with the local judgment or another
A foreign judgment shall not be recognized or enforced if:
(1) It is inconsistent with the prior local judgment of the judicial body in a state
in which the recognition or enforcement is requested on the same cause of
action between the same parties;
(2) It is inconsistent with another judgment on the same cause of action
between the same parties, which was earlier rendered and capable of being
recognized and enforced under these Principles; and
(3) The requested court is the court first seized to deal with the same cause of
action between the same parties.

• Cf. Article 4:501 (3) of the CLIP Principles

• To reaffirm the particular case in which public policy applies.
 Recognition and Enforcement of
Foreign Judgments

Article 407: Punitive damages

A foreign judgment, which awards punitive damages
or similar monetary relief manifestly exceeding
compensatory damages, shall not be recognized or
enforced beyond the amount of compensatory
damages
• This issue can be handled by interpretation of Article 401.
• Article 403(3) of the Korean Preliminary Draft of 2006 involves
application of public policy in the case of foreign damages awards.
 Conclusion
• Viability of Japan-Korean Principles

- Some analyzes a Korean case, taking into account

these Principles

- These Principles were taken into account to

amend the Korean Civil Procedure Act in 2014
(Some practitioners inquired whether Article 217
bis is different from public policy requirement
under Art. 217 (1) 3).
 Conclusion
• In terms of a choice of law rule on initial ownership of
intellectual property rights arising from an
employment relationship, some scholarly opinions in
Korea appear to favor the law applicable to the
employment relationship
(Dong-Won Kim, Governing applicable to overseas
patent rights of work-for-hire invention, Law &
Technology, Vol. 10, No. 1, p. 28 (2014) (Citing
Judgment rendered by Seoul High Court on December
8, 2011 (Case No. 2011 Na 20210), which held that the
grant of a free non-exclusive license to an employer by
operation of law would be governed by the law
applicable to the employment relationship)
 Conclusion
The Korean Civil Procedure Act was amended on May 20, 2014
[Act No. 12588, amended on May 20, 2014, effective on May 20, 2014.]
Article 217 (Recognition of a Foreign Judgment) (1) a final foreign judgment or a foreign adj
udication which has same preclusive effect as a foreign judgment (hereinafter "a final foreig
n judgment') will be recognized if the requirements of all of the following paragraphs are m
et:
1. That an international jurisdiction of such foreign court is recognized in the principles of a
n international jurisdiction pursuant to the Acts and subordinate statutes of the Republic of
Korea, or to the treaties;
2. That a defeated defendant received, pursuant to a lawful method, a service of a summon
s or a document equivalent thereto, and a notice of date or an order, with a time leeway suf
ficient to defend (excluding the case pursuant to a service by public notice or similar service
), or that he responded to the lawsuit even without being served;
3. That such final judgment does not violate good morals and other social orders of the Rep
ublic of Korea in the light of its contents and procedure;
4. That there exists a mutual guarantee or that the requirements for recognition of a final fo
reign judgment in the Republic of Korea and the State of origin are not strikingly out of bala
nce and substantially identical to each other in their material aspects.
(2) a Korean court must make an ex officio examination as to whether the requirements pre
scribed in Paragraph 1 are met.
 Conclusion

Article 217 bis (Recognition of a Final Foreign Judgment Awarding Dam

ages)
(1) a Korean court can not recognize all or a part of a final foreign judg
ment awarding damages when it will result in the outcome which striki
ngly contravenes the essential orders of the Acts of the Republic of
Korea and of the treaties acceded to by the Republic of Korea.
(2) when a Korean court examines the requirement prescribed under p
aragraph 1, it must take into account whether and to what extent the
damages awarded by the court of origin serve to cover costs and expe
nses relating to the proceedings.
 Conclusion

Also, in line with the amendment of the Korean Civil Procedure Act, the Civil Enforceme
nt Act was revised on May 20, 2014.

Art. 27 of the Civil Enforcement Act amended in 2014 prescribes that:

(1) An enforcement judgment shall be made without making any examination as to whe
ther the judgment is right or wrong.
(2) A lawsuit seeking an enforcement judgment shall be dismissed if it falls under any of
the following subparagraphs:
1. When it has not been proved that the judgment or other adjudication of a foreign co
urt (hereinafter “foreign judgment”) has become final and conclusive; and
2. When the foreign judgment fails to fulfill the conditions under Article 217 of the Civil
Procedure Act.
Act No. 12587, amended on May 20, 2014, effective on May 20, 2014.
 The Mission of the ILA Committee
on Intellectual Property and Private
International Law
Toshiyuki Kono
Kyushu University
Japan
Territoriality  Market

The enforcement of IP rights in the global

context of the information society

New challenges with respect to traditional

models of adjudicating international disputes
• Need for a project, which deals with IP
enforcement issues on global scale
• Further international cooperation desirable

 ILA Guidelines for jurisdiction, choice of law

and recognition of foreign judgments (2016?)
 Jurisdiction: Overview

Axel Metzger
Humboldt-Universität Berlin, Germany
 Jurisdiction Guidelines

• Guideline: Often used for ILA Resolutions

• Not as normative and detailed as older sets of
principles
• Guidelines allow a flexible drafting
• Jurisdiction subcommittee started with
uncontroversial issues but has entered more
controversial questions
 Structure
JURISDICTION
Basic Forum
1.Defendant’s Forum
Alternative Fora
2.Contracts
3.[Ubiquitous] Infringements
4.Consolidation
5.Title and Ownership
Other Fora
6.Choice of Court
7.Submission and appearance
8.Validity claims and related disputes
9.Declaratory Actions
10.Provisional and Protective Measures
Coordination and Cooperation
11.Parallel Proceedings
12.Obligations of other Courts
13.Insufficient Grounds for Jurisdiction
 1. Defendant’s Forum
(1) Defendant should be subject to jurisdiction to
the courts of the State in which the defendant is
habitually resident.
(2) Subject to the specific rules on validity claims
and related disputes, the courts of the State of the
defendant's habitual residence should be
competent to decide upon territorially unrestricted
claims related to intellectual property rights.
→ Uncontroversial in the Committee, but see Voda v.
Cordis, 476 F.3d 887, 916 (Fed. Cir. 2007)
8. Insufficient Grounds for Jurisdiction
Insufficient grounds for exercising jurisdiction
include:
a) the presence of (any) assets [, physical or
intellectual property, or a claim] of the defendant in
a State, except when the dispute is directly related
to that asset;
b) the nationality of the plaintiff or the defendant;
c) the mere presence of the plaintiff or of the
defendant in that State;
...
...
d) the mere conduct of commercial or other
activities by the defendant in that State, except
when the dispute is related to those activities;
e) the service of a writ upon the defendant in
that State; or
f) the completion in that State of the formalities
necessary to execute an agreement.
 Jurisdiction:
Exclusive Jurisdiction

Benedetta Ubertazzi
Università di Macerata, Italy
 Jurisdiction Guidelines

Exclusive (Subject Matter) Jurisdiction Rules

Disputes “related” to proprietary issues of IPRs
(existence, validity, infringement, ownership,
transferability) can be litigated just before the
courts of the State of registration: for registered
IPRs; or of the State that recognises the IPR: for
unregistered IPRs
 Jurisdiction Guidelines
All sets of principles (ALI, CLIP, Transparency,
Joint Korean-Japanese) overcome exclusive
jurisdiction in cases related to
a) unregisterd IPRs
b) registered IPRs infringement issues
c) registered IPRs validity issues incidentally
raised
Thus, those issues can be brought before a court of a State other
than that of registration. Yet, a judgment on validity would have
inter partes effect.
 Jurisdiction Guidelines
In addition, under certain conditions ALI and
Transparency overcome exclusive jurisdiction in
relation to registered IPRs validity issues
principally raised:

those issues can be brought before courts of a

State other than that of registration. Yet, a
judgment on validity would have inter partes
effect.
 Jurisdiction Guidelines
ILA Committee “guideline” on “validity”:

1) In proceedings which have as their main object the

grant, registration, validity, abandonment, or
revocation of a registered intellectual property right
the court of the State of registration shall have
exclusive jurisdiction.
2) Any other court having jurisdiction may decide on
these matters when they arise in proceedings other
than those referred to in paragraph 1. However, the
resulting decision shall be binding between the parties
only.
 Jurisdiction Guidelines
ILA Committee overcomes exclusive jurisdiction in cases
related to
a) unregisterd IPRs
b) registered IPRs infringement issues
c) registered IPRs validity issues incidentally raised
Thus, those issues can be brought before a court of a State
other than that of registration. Yet, a judgment on validity
would have inter partes effect.

Excusive jurisdiction: validity issues principally raised of “a

registered IPR”: related to more than one IPRs (?)
Applicable Law: Introduction

Pedro De Miguel Asensio

Universidad Complutense de Madrid
 Selected controversial issues
• Building on the results of the previous projects
the Committee has focused its attention on
drafting Guidelines on certain issues:
– Initial ownership
– Contracts
– Infringement, with particular attention to
“ubiquitous infringement” and liability of Internet
intermediaries
 Other relevant issues
• Scope of lex loci protectionis (and the role of
lex fori/ lex contractus)
• Transferability
• Security rights
• Mandatory rules
• Public policy
• Exclusion of renvoi
Applicable Law: Contracts

Marie-Elodie Ancel
Université Paris Est Créteil (UPEC)
 Freedom of choice
Provision #1

Parties may choose the law governing their contractual

relationship.
 Absence of choice
Provision #2
"Single-state" Contracts

• Contracts related to IP rights protected in one State

only

• Lex loci protectionis

• Exception
 Absence of choice
Provision #2
"Multi-state" Contracts

• Contracts related to IP rights protected in more than one

State

• Law with the closest connection

• Possible indicators: parties residence; residence of the
characteristic performer; residence of a party in one of
the States in which the IP rights are protected
 Other relevant issues

• Respective material scopes of lex

contractus and lex protectionis
• Formal validity?
• Employment contracts?
• Compulsory licences?
• Consumer contracts?
• Internationally mandatory rules?
Applicable Law: Infringement

Rita Matulionyte
University of Newcastle, Australia
 Main rule
• Lex loci protectionis
– Territoriality principle
– Source: 1886 Berne Convention art 5(2); EU Rome
II Regulation art 8(1)
– Scope: all issues related to a right as such;
infringement and remedies (?)
 Ubiquitous infringements
• World-wide infringement is subject to a single
(or several) state law(s)
• Law(s) with the close connection
– Exemplary connecting factors: place of harm;
parties’ residence; place of substantial activities
– Exception
 [Party autonomy]
• After infringement occurs, parties may choose
law applicable to the infringement
• IP-related issues are excluded; no third party effects
• Different: EU Rome II Regulation art. 8(3)
 Applicable law
Initial ownership
Prof. dr. Mireille van Eechoud
Institute for Information Law UvA
www.ivir.nl
‘Territorial’ multiple law approach
Drawbacks Partial fixes
• Limping legal relationships • Single law conflict rule for
parties involved in unregistered IPRs
creation/production IP • Accessory allocation to law
• Uncertainty about of pre-existing legal
ownership increases relationship (e.g.
transaction costs & reduces employment contract,
value of IP as assets production contract)
• Undue burden on ‘weaker’ • Allow measure of party
creating parties (notably autonomy
natural persons such as
employees)
 Models suggested
• Accessory allocation right to claim (co)ownership if creation
based in contractual relation: contract statute.
• Main rule registered IP: law of country of protection (presumed
to be: country of registration)
Single law+ Multiple law+
• Non-registered IPRs: law of • Lex protectionis for
country with closest non-registered IPRs
connection to creation/
production subject matter
(presumed to be: habitual
residence creator)
• Allowed: choice of law by
co-creators
Recognition and Enforcement
of Foreign Judgments
Marketa Trimble
Associate Professor
William S. Boyd School of Law
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
 Recognition and Enforcement
1. The Object of the Recognition and Enforcement
2. The Effect of a Recognized Judgment
3. Grounds for Non-Recognition
4. Partial and Limited Recognition
and Enforcement
 1. The Object of the Recognition
and Enforcement
• Definition of a judgment
• Definition of a final judgment
• A stay of a judgment
• A judgment subject to an appeal
 2. The Effect of a Recognized Judgment

• “No greater” than in the country of the rendering

court
• Territorial scope of injunctive relief
• No review as to the merits
 3. Grounds for Non-Recognition

• Mandatory grounds for non-recognition

– Default judgment, no opportunity to defend
– A prior domestic judgment
– A different prior foreign judgment
– Due process
– Want of jurisdiction
• Public policy exception
• Findings of fact re jurisdiction
 4. Partial and Limited
Recognition and Enforcement
• Severability
• Exemplary or punitive damages
• Adaptation of remedies
• Decision concerning validity of a registered IP right
IP AND ARBITRATION

Prof. Dr. Dário Moura Vicente

University of Lisbon
Geneva, 15 January 2015
 The Problem Defined
• Advantages of arbitration as an alternative to court
litigation of IP disputes: (i) Concentration of proceedings in
disputes arising from cross-border exploitation of IP rights;
(ii) Avoids parallel litigation before national courts and
inconsistent decisions; (iii) Confidentiality and greater
expediency of proceedings; (iv) Neutrality and expertise of
adjudicators; (v) Extended cross-border enforceability of
awards.
• IP rights are however still mostly monopolies granted by
States that affect competition within the territory of the
country that awards them. Hence, jurisdiction over IP
disputes is often reserved to State courts.
• Are IP disputes arbitrable?
 Basic Approaches
(Registered Rights) - I
• No arbitrability
South Africa, article 18(1) of the Patent Act:
«Save as is otherwise provided in this Act, no
tribunal other than the commissioner shall have
jurisdiction in the first instance to hear and decide
any proceedings, other than criminal proceedings,
relating to any matter under this Act.»
 Basic Approaches
(Registered Rights) - II
• Arbitrability with limitations
Germany, § 65(1) of the Patent Act:
«A Patent Court is established as an autonomous and
independent federal court to hear appeals from decisions of
the Examining Sections or Patent Divisions of the Patent
Office and to decide actions for declaration of nullity of
patents and in compulsory license proceedings (Sections 81,
85 and 85a). It has its seat at the seat of the Patent Office. It
is designated the “Federal Patent Court”.»
Jurisdiction of the Court generally held to be exclusive.
Hence, no arbitrability of validity issues raised as a defence
in infringement or breach of licence disputes (bifurcation
system).
 Basic Approaches
(Registered Rights) - III
• Arbitrability with limitations
France, Cour d’appel de Paris, 28 February 2008, Société
Liv Hidravlika D.O.O v. S.A. Diebolt:
«[T]he issue of the validity of a patent debated
incidentally on the occasion of a contractual dispute,
may, as the arbitrator holds, be submitted to him,
although the invalidity eventually determined shall not,
just as if it were decided by a judge, have the force of res
judicata, since it is not contained in the holding of the
case, […] it shall only bind the parties.»
Arbitrability of validity issues, but the arbitral award
only has inter partes effect.
 Basic Approaches
(Registered Rights) - IV
• Arbitrability with limitations
USA, section 294 of the Patent Act:
«a) A contract involving a patent or any right under a patent
may contain a provision requiring arbitration of any dispute
relating to the patent validity or infringement arising under
the contract. In the absence of such a provision, the parties
to an existing patent validity or infringement dispute may
agree in writing to settle such dispute by arbitration. Any
such provision or agreement shall be valid, irrevocable, and
enforceable, except for any grounds that exist at law or in
equity for revocation of a contract.»
«c) An award by an arbitrator shall be final and binding
between the parties to the arbitration but shall have no force
or effect on any other persons.»
 Basic Approaches
(Registered Rights) - V
• Full arbitrability
Belgium, article 51(1) of the Patent Law of 1984:
«If a patent is totally or partly annulled by a
judgment, a ruling or an arbitral award, the
annulment decision shall have the force of res
judicata in regard of everyone, subject to a third
party’s opposition. Annulment decisions that have
acquired the force of res judicata shall be
registered.»
 Basic Approaches
(Registered Rights) - VI
• Mandatory arbitration
Portugal, Law no. 62/2011 of 14.12.2011, article 2:
«Disputes arising from the exercise of industrial
property rights, including injunctions, regarding
reference medicines and generic medicines,
regardless of whether process patents, product
patents or patents of use or supplementary
protection certificates are at issue, are subject to
mandatory arbitration, institutional or non-
institutional.»
 Basic Approaches
(Unregistered Rights) - I
• No arbitrability of claims concerning moral
rights
– Droit d’auteur systems: moral rights incapable of
being transmitted or waived. In principle, disputes
concerning such rights are not arbitrable in systems
where only rights of which a party may dispose by
way of settlement may be arbitrated (e.g. France).
– However, even in those systems certain transactions
are allowed in regard of moral rights, as, e.g., a
consent to the modification of a work. Disputes
arising from such transactions are thus arbitrable
(Supreme Court of Canada, Desputeaux v. Éditions
Chouette,2003).
 Basic Approaches
(Unregistered Rights) - II
• Arbitrability of claims concerning patrimonial rights
France, article L 331-1 of the Code of Intellectual Property:
«Civil actions and claims related to literary and artistic
property, including those also concerning a related issue of
unfair competition, are exclusively submitted to courts of
great instance, to be determined by means of regulations
[…]. The preceding provisions do not prevent recourse to
arbitration in the conditions set forth in articles 2059 and
2060 of the civil code.»
Disputes concerning authors’ rights of reproduction,
broadcasting and distribution of their works are thus
arbitrable: no reason of public interest prevents arbitration in
their respect. But droit de suite, being a non-waivable
patrimonial right, is not arbitrable.
 Basic Approaches
(Unregistered Rights) - III
• Arbitration as default dispute resolution
mechanism
Quebec, article 37(1) of the Act Respecting the
Professional Status of Artists states, with regard to
contracts between an artist and a promoter:
«In the absence of an express renunciation, every
dispute arising from the interpretation of the
contract shall be submitted to an arbitrator at the
request of one of the parties.»
 Basic Approaches
(Unregistered Rights) - IV
• Mandatory arbitration
Portugal, Law no. 82/2001, of 3 August 2011:
Created a Mediation and Arbitration Commission to
which disputes related to (i) remuneration rights for
the public lending of copies of protected works; (ii)
transmission by cable of protected works and
performances; (iii) compensation of reproductions
for private use; and (iv) technological measures that
restrict free use of protected works, have been
mandatorily submitted by specific statutes.
 The Role of
Private International Law - I
• Basic trend towards the liberalization of IP arbitration.
• Significant differences remain between national legal
systems regarding the arbitrability of validity issues.
• This is a source of uncertainty as to the enforceability
of arbitral awards on IP disputes.
• There is a need for uniform conflict of laws rules
(even if only soft law rules) on the issue of arbitrability
of IP disputes.
• No need for an entire set of conflict rules applicable to
the substance of the dispute in arbitration proceedings
concerning IP disputes.
 The Role of
Private International Law - II
• What law(s) should apply to arbitrability?
The lex arbitri
• If the issue of the arbitrability of claims (as well as of
exceptions and counterclaims) concerning IP rights
that have allegedly been infringed is raised before an
Arbitral Tribunal, it should be governed by the lex
arbitri (i.e., the law governing the arbitration).
• This is the solution that best ensures the
enforceability of the arbitral award in the country of
the seat of the Tribunal.
 The Role of
Private International Law - III
The lex protectionis
• If, however, the lex arbitri is not the same as the lex
protectionis (i.e., the law of the country for the territory of
which protection of the disputed rights is sought), the
Tribunal should, in order to safeguard the enforceability of
its award, cumulatively apply the lex protectionis to the
issue of the arbitrability of the validity of those rights.
• E.g., an arbitrator sitting in Belgium may decide, with inter
partes effects, the claimed invalidity of a French patent
raised as a defence by the Respondent, but should refrain
from doing so in regard of a German patent, in spite of the
liberalism of Belgian law in this respect. Otherwise, the
enforcement of the award in Germany could be refused on
the basis of article V(2)(a) New York Convention.
THANK YOU!