Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement: Intellectual Property
Posted: Wed Nov 13, 2013 11:49 pm
PART 1 OF 4
TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT: INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY [RIGHTS] CHAPTER CONSOLIDATED TEXT
by Trans-Pacific Partnership
NOTICE: THIS WORK MAY BE PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT
WikiLeaks Release: November 13, 2013
Secret TPP treaty: Advanced Intellectual Property chapter for all 12 nations with negotiating positions
WikiLeaks release: November 13, 2013
Description
This is the confidential draft treaty chapter from the Intellectual Property group of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) talks between the United States, Japan, Mexico, Canada, Australia, Malaysia, Chile, Singapore, Peru, Vietnam, New Zealand and Brunei Darussalam. The treaty is being negotiated in secret by delegations from each of the 12 countries, who together account for 40% of global GDP. The chapter covers proposed international obligations and enforcement mechanisms for copyright, trademark and patent law, and includes the combined positions of all of the parties as they were by the end of August 2013. The document was produced and distributed to the Chief Negotiators on August 30, 2013, after the 19th Round of Negotiations at Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei.
This Document Contains TPP CONFIDENTIAL Information
MODIFIED HANDLING AUTHORIZED
TPP Negotiations, R18
IP Group
Intellectual Property [Rights] Chapter
30 August
2013
COVER PAGE
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY [RIGHTS] CHAPTER
CONSOLIDATED TEXT
CHAPTER QQ [1]
{INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS / INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY}
{GENERAL PROVISIONS}
{Section A: General Provisions}
Article QQ.A.1: {Definitions}
For the purposes of this Chapter:
Intellectual property [2] refers to all categories of intellectual property that are the subject of Sections 1 through 7 of Part II of the TRIPS Agreement [3].
Article QQ.A.2: {Objectives} [4]
[NZ/CL/PE/VN/BN/MY/SG/CA [5] /MX [6] propose; US/JP oppose: The objectives of this Chapter are:
a. Enhance the role of intellectual property in promoting economic and social development, particularly in relation to the new digital economy, technological innovation, the [PE: generation,] transfer and dissemination of technology and trade;
b. reduce impediments to trade and investment by promoting deeper economic integration through effective and adequate creation, utilization, protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights, taking into account the different levels of economic development and capacity as well as differences in national legal systems;
c. maintain a balance between the rights of intellectual property holders and the legitimate interests of users and the community in subject matter protected by intellectual property.
d. protect the ability of Parties to identify, promote access to and preserve the public domain;
e. Ensure that measures and procedures to enforce intellectual property rights do not themselves become barriers to legitimate trade;
f. Promote operational efficiency of intellectual property systems, in particular through quality examination procedures during the granting of intellectual property rights.]
[NZ/CA/SG/CL/MY/VN propose. g. The protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights should contribute to the promotion of technological innovation and to the transfer and dissemination of technology, to the mutual advantage of producers and users of technological knowledge and in a manner conducive to social and economic welfare, and to a balance of rights and obligations.
h. Support each Party's right to protect public health, including by facilitating timely access to affordable medicines.]
[Article QQ.A.2bis: {Principles}
[NZ/CA/SG/CL/MY propose: 1. Each Party may, in formulating or amending its laws and regulations, adopt measures necessary to protect public health and nutrition, and to promote the public interest in sectors of vital importance to its socio-economic and technological development, provided that such measures are consistent with the provisions of this Chapter.
2. Each Party may adopt or maintain appropriate measures, provided that they are consistent with the provisions of this Chapter, to prevent the abuse of intellectual property rights by right holders or the resort to practices which unreasonably restrain trade or adversely affect the international transfer of technology.
3. Each Party may adopt or maintain, consistently with the other provisions of this Chapter, appropriate measures to prevent or control practices or conditions that may in particular cases constitute an abuse of intellectual property rights having an adverse effect on competition in the relevant market.]]
Article QQ.A.3: {General Provisions}
Each Party shall give effect to the provisions of this Chapter. A Party may, but shall not be obliged to, provide more extensive protection for, and enforcement of, intellectual property rights under its law than is required by this Chapter, provided that such protection and enforcement does not contravene the provisions of this Chapter. Each Party shall be free to determine the appropriate method of implementing the provisions of this Chapter within its own legal system and practice.
Article QQ.A.4: {Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health}
The Parties affirm their commitment to the Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health (WT/MIN(01)/DEC/2).
Article QQ.A.5: {Understandings Regarding Certain Public Health Measures [7]}
The Parties have reached the following understandings regarding this Chapter:
(a) The obligations of this Chapter do not and should not prevent a Party from taking measures to protect public health by promoting access to medicines for all, in particular concerning cases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, [US oppose: chagas] and other epidemics as well as circumstances of extreme urgency or national emergency. Accordingly, while reiterating their commitment to this Chapter, the Parties affirm that this Chapter can and should be interpreted and implemented in a manner supportive of each Party's right to protect public health and, in particular, to promote access to medicines for all. [8]
(b) In recognition of the commitment to access to medicines that are supplied in accordance with the Decision of the General Council of 30 August 2003 on the Implementation of Paragraph Six of the Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health (WT/L/540) and the WTO General Council Chairman's statement accompanying the Decision (JOB(03)/177, WT/GC/M/82 ) [SG/BN/VN/PE/CL/CA/MY/NZ/US/AU [9]/MX/JP: , as well as the Decision on the Amendment of the TRIPS Agreement, adopted by the General Council, 6 December 2005 US/MY propose: and the WTO General Council Chairperson's statement accompanying the Decision (WT/GC/M/100)] (collectively, the “TRIPS/health solution”), this Chapter does not and should not prevent the effective utilization of the TRIPS/health solution.
(c) With respect to the aforementioned matters, if [US oppose: any waiver of any provision of the TRIPS Agreement, or any] [US propose: an] amendment of the TRIPS Agreement, enters into force with respect to the Parties, and a Party's application of a measure in conformity with that [US oppose: waiver or] amendment [US oppose: is contrary to the obligations of] [US propose: violates ] this Chapter, the Parties shall immediately consult in order to adapt this Chapter as appropriate in the light of the [US oppose: waiver or] amendment.
Article QQ.A.6: {Existing Rights and Obligations / International Agreements}
1. [US: Further to Article –AA.2,] the Parties affirm their existing rights and obligations with respect to each other under the TRIPS Agreement [CL/PE: and any other multilateral agreements relating to intellectual property to which they are party] [MX propose: The TRIPS Agreement is incorporated into and made part of this Agreement, mutatis mutandis.][CA Propose: 1. Except as otherwise provided in this Chapter, nothing in this Chapter shall be construed as a limitation to the flexibilities, exceptions and limitations set out on the TRIPS Agreement and any other multilateral agreement relating to intellectual property to which they are party.]
[CL/NZ propose; US/AU/JP/MX oppose: 2. Nothing in this Chapter shall derogate from existing rights and obligations that Parties have to each other under the TRIPS Agreement or other multilateral agreements, such as those concluded or administered under the auspices of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).] [10]
[CA propose; MX/US oppose: 2. Except as otherwise provided in this Chapter, the Parties shall interpret this Chapter in such a way as to be [complementary to / compatible with] their rights and obligations under multilateral treaties concluded or administered under the auspices of the World Trade Organization (WTO), the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to which they are party, especially with regards to measures aimed at protecting public health and protecting equal access to knowledge and food.]
[CL/NZ/VN/BN/MY/PE: [11] 3. [Except as otherwise provided in this Chapter,] Nothing in this Chapter shall be construed as a limitation to the flexibilities, exceptions and limitations set out on the TRIPS Agreement and any other multilateral agreement relating to intellectual property to which they are party, especially with regards to measures aimed at protecting equal access to knowledge, food and public health.]]
[US/AU propose; CL/NZ/MY/PE/BN/VN/CA/JP/MX [12] oppose: [13] 4. Each Party shall ratify or accede to the following agreements by the date of entry into force of this Agreement:
(a) Patent Cooperation Treaty (1970), as amended in 1979;
(b) Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property (1967);
(c) Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works (1971);
(d) Convention Relating to the Distribution of Programme-Carrying Signals Transmitted by Satellite (1974);
(e) Protocol Relating to the Madrid Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Marks (1989);
(f) Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure (1977), as amended in 1980;
(g) International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants [MX propose: (1961) as revised in 1972, 1978 or] (1991) (UPOV Convention);
(h) Singapore Treaty on the Law of Trademarks (2006);
(i) WIPO Copyright Treaty (1996); and
(j) WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty (1996).]
[US/AU/NZ/PE/CA/JP/SG/MX [14] propose: 5. Each Party shall notify the WTO of its acceptance of the Protocol amending the TRIPS Agreement done at Geneva on December 6, 2005.]
[US/SG propose; CL/MY/NZ/PE//VN/BN/CA/JP/MX [15] oppose: 6. Each Party shall make all reasonable efforts to ratify or accede to the following agreements by the date of entry into force of the Agreement:
[SG oppose: (a) Patent Law Treaty (2000); and]
(b) Hague Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs (1999).]
Article QQ.A.7: {National Treatment}
1 [16]. In respect of all categories of intellectual property covered in this Chapter, each Party shall accord to nationals [17] of the other Party treatment no less favorable than it accords to its own nationals with regard to the protection [18] [NZ/BN/MY/CA/JP/SG/VN oppose: and enjoyment of such intellectual property rights, and any benefits derived from such rights.][NZ/VN/BN/MY/CL/PE/JP/SG [19] propose [20]; US/AU [21] oppose: of intellectual property, subject to the exceptions provided in the TRIPS Agreement and in those multilateral agreements concluded under the auspices of WIPO.] [CL/AU/NZ/BN/PE [22] propose: With respect to secondary uses of phonograms by means of analog communications and free over-the-air radio broadcasting, however, a Party may limit the rights of the performers and producers of the other Party to the rights its persons are accorded within the jurisdiction of the other Party.] [23]
[VN: Articles 3 and 5 of the TRIPS shall apply with necessary modifications to the protection of intellectual property in this Chapter.]
2. A Party may derogate from paragraph 1 [national treatment] in relation to its judicial and administrative procedures, including requiring a national of the other Party to designate an address for service of process in its territory, or to appoint an agent in its territory, provided that such derogation is:
(a) necessary to secure compliance with laws and regulations that are not inconsistent with this Chapter; and
(b) not applied in a manner that would constitute a disguised restriction on trade.
[CL:3 Paragraphs 1 and 2 do] [US: Paragraph [X national treatment/judicial and administrative procedures] does] not apply to procedures in multilateral agreements concluded under the auspices of WIPO relating to the acquisition or maintenance of intellectual property rights.
Article QQ.A.8: {Most-Favoured-Nation Treatment}
[PE/CL: With regards to the protection and defence of intellectual property referred to in this chapter, any advantage, favour, privilege or immunity granted by a Party to the nationals of any other country will be accorded immediately and unconditionally to the nationals of the other Parties. The exceptions to this obligation shall be in conformity with the pertinent dispositions referred to in articles 4 and 5 of the TRIPS Agreement.]
[VN: Articles 4 and 5 of the TRIPS shall apply with necessary modifications to the protection of intellectual property in this Chapter.]
Article QQ.A.9: {Implementation of this Chapter}
[CL/NZ/VN/AU/BN/SG/PE/MY/MX/CA [24] propose; US/JP oppose: 1. Nothing in this Chapter shall prevent a Party from adopting appropriate measures to prevent: (a) the abuse of intellectual property rights by right holders or the resort to practices that unreasonably restrain trade or adversely affect the international transfer of technology; and (b) anticompetitive practices that may result from the abuse of intellectual property rights;, provided that such measures are consistent with this Agreement. [PE propose; CL/AU oppose: Nothing in this Chapter shall be construed to reduce the protection that the Parties agree on or have agreed on in benefit of the conservation or sustainable use of biodiversity.]]
Article QQ.A.10: {Transparency}
[NZ/AU [25]/US/SG [26] /MY/PE/VN/JP/MX propose: 1. [US: Further to Article ___ (Publication), and with the object of making the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights transparent,] Each Party shall ensure that its laws, regulations and procedures [VN: or administrative rulings of general application] concerning the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights [US: are in writing and are] [US oppose: shall be] published [27], or where such publication is not [US/PE oppose: practical] [US/PE: practicable], are made publicly available [US/AU/NZ: in a national language in such a manner as to enable [AU oppose: governments and right holders] [AU: interested persons and Parties] to become acquainted with them.] [US/AU/NZ oppose: in at least the national language of that Party or in the English language.]] [28]
[NZ/AU/SG/MY/CA [29]/MX/CL propose; VN/PE oppose: 2. Each Party shall endeavour to make available on the Internet [AU/NZ:
(a) its laws, regulations, procedures, and administrative rulings of general application concerning the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights; and]
(b) [JP oppose: those details of patent, trademark, design, plant variety protection and geographical indication applications that are open to public inspection under national law.]]
[US/MX propose; BN oppose: 4 [30]. Nothing in this Chapter shall require a Party to disclose confidential information the disclosure of which would impede law enforcement or otherwise be contrary to the public interest [PE oppose: or would prejudice the legitimate commercial interests of particular enterprises, public or private ].] [31]
Article QQ.A.11: {Application of Agreement to Existing Subject Matter and Prior Acts}
[US propose: 1. Except as it otherwise provides, including in Article QQ.G.8__ (Berne 18/TRIPS 14.6), this Chapter gives rise to obligations in respect of all subject matter existing at the date of entry into force of this Agreement that is protected on that date in the territory of the Party where protection is claimed, or that meets or comes subsequently to meet the criteria for protection under this Chapter. [32]]
2. [33] [CL/NZ/PE/MY/BN/VN/CA/MX oppose: Except as otherwise provided in this Chapter, including Article QQ.G.8____ (Berne 18/TRIPS 14.6),] a Party shall not be required to restore protection to subject matter that on the date of entry into force of this Agreement has fallen into the public domain in its territory.
3. This Chapter does not give rise to obligations in respect of acts that occurred before the date of entry into force of this Agreement.
Article QQ.A.12: {International Exhaustion of Rights}
[CL/MY/NZ/VN/SG/BN/PE propose; US/AU/JP/MX oppose: The Parties are encouraged to establish international exhaustion of rights.]
Article QQ.A.13: {Public Domain}
[CL/VN/PE propose: Each Party shall endeavour to provide relevant information to disseminate public domain, including appropriate tools that help to identify the [CL: extension] [VN: expiration] of the terms of protection of intellectual property rights.]
[CL/VN propose: 1. The Parties recognize the importance of a rich and accessible public domain for their societies and the need that public domain material shall be free for its use by all persons.
2. For purposes of paragraph 1, each Party shall endeavor to:
a) identify subject matter that has fallen into the public domain within their respective jurisdictions;
b) promote access to the public domain; and
c) preserve the public domain.
3. Actions to achieve the purposes referred to in paragraph 2, may include the development of publicly accessible data bases of registered rights, guidelines and other tools to enhance access to material in the public domain.
4. Each Party shall make its best efforts to promote cooperation among the Parties to identify and facilitate access to subject matter that has fallen into the public domain and share updated information related to right holders and terms of protection.]
[CL/VN Alternative Proposal:
1. The Parties recognize the importance of a rich and accessible public domain for their societies and the need that public domain material shall be free for its use by all persons.
2. For this purpose, Parties may include the development of publicly accessible data bases of registered rights, guidelines and other tools to enhance access to material in the public domain.
3. Each Party shall make its best efforts to promote cooperation among the Parties to identify and faciliate access to subject matter that has fallen into the public domain and share updated information related to right holders and terms of protection.]
COOPERATION
Note: We have not introduced braces into this section because party attributions are not clear based on the text.
Section B: Cooperation
Article QQ.B.1: {Contact Points}
Each Party shall designate at least one contact point for the purpose of cooperation under this section.
Article QQ.B.2: [NZ/CL/SG/VN/MY/BN/MX propose: Cooperation in the implementation of international agreements
[NZ/CL/SG/BN/AU/MY/PE/VN/MX propose: 1. [AU/US oppose: Where a Party is a member of any of the following agreements, that Party shall, where appropriate and upon request by another Party, support that Party in implementing any of the following agreements] [AU/CA/JP/SG: A Party may seek to cooperate with other Parties to support its accession to, and implementation of, the agreements X-X ]:
(a) Patent Cooperation Treaty;
[PE/CA oppose: (b) Protocol Relating to the Madrid Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Marks;
(c) Singapore Treaty on the Law of Trademarks;] and
(d) Nice Agreement Concerning the International Classification of Goods and Services for the Purposes of the Registration of Marks.]
[JP/SG/PE propose: (e) International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (1991) (UPOV Convention)]
[AU: 2. Each Party shall endeavor to provide such cooperation as appropriate and upon request.]
Article QQ.B.3 {Cooperation Activities}
[AU/CL/NZ/PE/SG/BN/MX/VN/MY/US/CA propose: The Parties shall endeavour to cooperate on the subject matter covered by this Chapter through appropriate coordination, training and exchange of information between the intellectual property offices, [or other relevant institutions] [34], of the Parties. Cooperation may cover such areas as:
(a) developments in domestic and international intellectual property policy
(b) intellectual property administration and registration systems
(c) education and awareness relating to intellectual property
(d) intellectual property issues relevant to:
a. small and medium-sized enterprises
b. science, technology & innovation activities [PE propose: , which may include generation, transfer and dissemination of technology.]
(e) policies involving the use of intellectual property for research, innovation and economic growth
(f) such other areas as may be agreed among [AU/NZ oppose: the] Parties.]
Article QQ.B.4: {Patent Cooperation}
[[AU/CL/MY/NZ/SG/PE/VN/CA/MX/BN/JP propose: In order to improve quality and efficiency in the Parties' patent systems,] The Parties shall endeavour to [US/SG propose: cooperate] [US oppose: establish a framework for cooperation] among their respective patent offices to facilitate the [AU/CL/MY/NZ/SG/PE/VN/CA/MX/BN/JP oppose: exploitation] [AU/CL/MY/NZ/SG/PE/VN/CA/MX/BN/JP propose: sharing and use] of search and examination work of other Parties. This may include:
(a) making search and examination results available to the patent offices of other Parties, and
(b) exchanges of information on quality assurance systems and quality standards relating to patent searching and examination;
[JP propose; CL/PE oppose: (c) implementing and promoting the Patent Prosecution Highway;]
[CL/AU/MY/NZ/SG/PE/VN/CA/MX/BN oppose: which may, among other things, facilitate work sharing.] [35]] [36]
[JP proposal: 2. In the course of the cooperation referred to Paragraph 1, the Parties are encouraged not to require the applicants to submit search and examination results, including cited documents, made available by the patent offices of other Parties, with a view to reducing the procedural costs of the applicants.]
Article QQ.B.5: Cooperation activities and initiatives undertaken under this Chapter shall be subject to the availability of resources, and on request and on terms and conditions mutually agreed upon between the Parties involved. [VN propose: , including the technical assistance for developing countries.]
{TRADEMARKS}
{Section C: Trademarks}
Article QQ.C.1: {Types of Signs Registrable as Trademarks}
[NZ/US/AU/CL/PE/SG/CA/JP/MY [37] propose: 1. [VN/BN/MX oppose: No] Party may require, as a condition of registration, that a sign be visually perceptible, [VN/BN/MX oppose: nor may a Party] [VN/BN/MX propose: and] deny registration of a trademark solely on the ground that the sign of which it is composed is a sound [CL/CA/JP/MY oppose: or a scent] [CL/CA/MX/MY propose: Each Party may provide trademark protection for scents].] A Party may require a concise and accurate description, or graphical representation, or both, as applicable, of the trademark.
Article QQ.C.2: {Collective and Certification Marks}
1. Each Party shall provide that trademarks shall include collective marks and certification marks. A Party is not obligated to treat certification marks as a separate category in its domestic law, provided that such marks are protected.
Each Party [JP/MX propose: may][ JP oppose: shall] also provide that signs that may serve as geographical indications are eligible for protection under its trademark system [ [38] ] [39] [PE/NZ/MX/CL/BN/AU/US/JP/SG oppose; VN propose [40]: A Party may provide that Signs descriptive of geographical origin of goods or services, including geographical indication as defined in Article 22 of the TRIPS Agreement, may not be protected as trademarks other than collective and certification marks, unless they have acquired distinctiveness through use.]
[US/PE/MX [41] /SG propose; AU/NZ/ VN/BN/MY/CL/CA oppose: 2. Pursuant to Article 20 of the TRIPS Agreement, each Party shall ensure that its measures mandating the use of the term customary in common language as the common name for a good or service (“common name”) including, inter alia, requirements concerning the relative size, placement or style of use of the trademark in relation to the common name, do not impair the use or effectiveness of trademarks used in relation to such good or service. [ [42] ]] [43] [ [44] ]
Article QQ.C.3: {Use of Identical or Similar Signs}
Each Party shall provide that the owner of a registered trademark shall have the exclusive right to prevent third parties not having the owner's consent from using in the course of trade identical or similar signs, [PE/MY/VN/CA/MX oppose [45] : including subsequent geographical indications,] for goods or services that are related to those goods or services in respect of which the owner's trademark is registered, where such use would result in a likelihood of confusion.
In the case of the use of an identical sign, [PE/MY/SG/CL/CA/MX/VN oppose [46] : including a geographical indication,] for identical goods or services, a likelihood of confusion shall be presumed.
Article QQ.C.4:
Each Party may provide limited exceptions to the rights conferred by a trademark, such as fair use of descriptive terms, provided that such exceptions take account of the legitimate interest of the owner of the trademark and of third parties.
[VN propose; AU/US/NZ/SG/MY/CL/PE/CA/JP/BN oppose: The owner of a registered trademark shall not have the right to prevent third parties from using geographical indications or other signs descriptive of goods and services even though they are identical or similar to the trademark unless such use would result in confusion.] [47]
Article QQ.C.5: {Well Known Trademarks}
1. No Party may require as a condition for determining that a trademark is well-known that the trademark has been registered in the Party or in another jurisdiction, included on a list of well-known trademarks, or given prior recognition as a well-known trademark.
2. Article 6bis of the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property (1967) shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to goods or services that are not identical or similar to those identified by a well-known trademark,[ [48] ] [BN oppose: whether registered or not [49] ,] provided that use of that trademark in relation to those goods or services would indicate a connection between those goods or services and the owner of the trademark, and provided that the interests of the owner of the trademark are likely to be damaged by such use.
3. Each Party recognizes the importance of the Joint Recommendation Concerning Provisions on the Protection of Well-Known Marks (1999) as adopted by the Assembly of the Paris Union for the Protection of Industrial Property and the General Assembly of WIPO.
[US/BN/CL/PE/MX/CA/JP/NZ/SG/VN propose; AU/MY oppose: 4 [50] . Each Party shall [PE/BN/MX/CA [51] propose: according to domestic laws] provide for appropriate measures to refuse or cancel the registration and prohibit the use of a trademark that is identical or similar to a well-known trademark, [SG/VN propose: as being already well-known before the registration or use of the first-mentioned trademark,] for related goods or services, if the use of that trademark is likely to cause confusion [CA/SG/VN oppose: [52] or to deceive or risk associating the trademark with the owner of the well-known trademark, or constitutes unfair exploitation of the reputation of the well-known trademark.]]
Article QQ.C.6: {Examination, Opposition and Cancellation / Procedural Aspects}
Each Party shall provide a system for the examination and registration of trademarks which shall include, inter alia:
(a) providing to the applicant a communication in writing, which may be electronic, of the reasons for any refusal to register a trademark;
(b) providing the opportunity for the applicant to respond to communications from the competent authorities, to contest an initial refusal, and to appeal judicially any final refusal to register a trademark;
(c) providing an opportunity to oppose the registration of a trademark or to seek cancellation [53] of a trademark; and
(d) requiring that administrative decisions in oppositions and cancellation proceedings be reasoned and in writing. Written decisions may be provided electronically.
Article QQ.C.7: {Electronic Trademarks System}
Each Party shall provide:
(a) a system for the electronic application for, and maintenance of, trademarks; and
(b) a publicly available electronic information system, including an online database, of trademark applications and of registered trademarks.
Article QQ.C.8: {Classification of Goods and Services}
Each Party shall adopt or maintain a trademark classification system that is consistent with the Nice Agreement Concerning the International Classification of Goods and Services for the Purposes of the Registration of Marks (Nice Classification) of [June 15, 1957], as revised and amended. Each Party shall provide that:
[CA oppose: (a) registrations and the publications of applications indicate the goods and services by their names, grouped according to the classes established by the Nice Classification [54] ; and]
(b) goods or services may not be considered as being similar to each other on the ground that, in any registration or publication, they are classified in the same class of the Nice Classification. Conversely, each Party shall provide that goods or services may not be considered as being dissimilar from each other on the ground that, in any registration or publication, they are classified in different classes of the Nice Classification.
Article QQ.C.9: {Term of Protection for Trademarks}
Each Party shall provide that initial registration and each renewal of registration of a trademark shall be for a term of no less than 10 years.
Article QQ.C.10 [55]: No Party may require recordal of trademark licenses:
a. to establish the validity of the license;
[US/CA/NZ/SG/JP/AU propose; VN/MX/BN/PE/CL/MY oppose: b. as a condition for the right of a licensee to join infringement proceedings initiated by the holder, or to obtain by way of such proceedings damages resulting from an infringement of the trademark which is subject to the license; or
c. as a condition for use of a trademark by a licensee, to be deemed to constitute use by the holder in proceedings relating to the acquisition, maintenance and enforcement of trademarks.]
Article QQ.C.11: {International Exhaustion of Rights}
[CL/NZ/SG/VN/PE/MY/BN/AU/CA/MX propose; US/JP oppose: The Parties are encouraged to establish international exhaustion of trademark rights. For this purpose, the registration of a trademark shall not entitle the proprietor to prohibit its use in relation to goods which have been put on the market in any country under that trademark by the proprietor or with his consent.]
Article QQ.C.12: {Domain Names on the Internet}
1. [56] In order to address the problem of trademark [VN/MX propose: geographical indication and trade name] cyber-piracy, each Party shall adopt or maintain a system for the management of its country-code top-level domain (ccTLD) that provides:
(a) an appropriate procedure for the settlement of disputes, based on, or modelled along the same lines as, the principles established in the Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy, or that is: (i) designed to resolve disputes expeditiously and at low cost, (ii) fair and equitable, (iii) not overly burdensome, and (iv) does not preclude resort to court litigation;
(b) online public access to a reliable and accurate database of contact information concerning domain-name registrants [57];
in accordance with each Party's laws regarding protection of privacy [58] and personal data. [59]
2. [PE/SG/CL/AU/NZ/MY/BN/CA oppose; US/VN/JP/MX propose: Each party shall provide [VN: oppose adequate and effective] [VN propose: appropriate] remedies against the registration trafficking [60], or use in any ccTLD, with a bad faith intent to profit, of a domain name that is identical or confusingly similar to a trademark [VN/MX propose: , geographical indication or trade name].]
{GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS}
{Section D: Geographical Indications}
Article QQ.D.1: {Recognition of Geographical Indications}
The Parties recognize that [US propose; CL/PE/CA/MX/SG/MY/BN/VN/JP oppose: , subject to Article QQ.C.2(1), [61] (Gls eligible for protection as trademarks)] geographical indications may be protected through a trademark or sui generis system or other legal means.
Article QQ.D.2: Where a Party provides administrative procedures for the protection or recognition of geographical indications, through a system of trademarks or a sui generis system, the Party shall with respect to applications for such protection or petitions for such recognition:
(a) accept those applications or petitions without requiring intercession by a Party on behalf of its nationals [62] ;
(b) process those applications or petitions without imposition of overly burdensome formalities;
(c) ensure that its regulations governing the filing of those applications or petitions are readily available to the public and clearly set out the procedures for these actions;
(d) make available information sufficient to allow the general public to obtain guidance concerning the procedures for filing applications or petitions and the processing of those applications or petitions in general; and allow applicants, petitioners, or their representatives to ascertain the status of specific applications and petitions;
(e) ensure that those applications or petitions are published for opposition and provide procedures for opposing geographical indications that are the subject of applications or petitions; and
(f) provide for cancellation, annulment, or revocation of the protection or recognition afforded to a geographical indication [63]
Article QQ.D.3: Each Party shall, whether protection or recognition is provided to a geographical indication through [SG/CA/MY oppose: its domestic measures] [SG/CA/MY propose: the system referred to in article QQ.D.2] [CL/PE/MY/SG/VN/BN/CA/MX oppose [64]: or pursuant to an agreement with another government or government entity], provide a process that allows interested persons to object to the protection or recognition of a geographical indication, [CA oppose: and for protection or recognition to be [65] refused annulled [66] or, [AU propose: where appropriate,] cancelled] [MY/VN/SG/MX oppose [67]: , at least on the following grounds:
(i) the geographical indication is likely to cause confusion with a trademark or geographical indication that is the subject of a preexisting good faith pending application or registration in the territory of such Party[ [68] ];
(ii) [BN oppose: the geographical indication is likely to cause confusion with a pre-existing trademark or geographical indication, the rights to which have been acquired in accordance with the Party's law[ [69] ];] and
(iii) the geographical indication is a term customary in common language as the common name for such goods or services in that Party's territory.]]
Article QQ.D.4: [US propose; [70] CL/PE/NZ/AU/SG/MY/MX/CA/BN/VN oppose: No Party shall, whether pursuant to an agreement with a government or a governmental entity or otherwise:
(a) in the case of geographical indications for goods other than wines or spirits, prohibit third parties from using or registering translated versions of the geographical indication;[ [71] ] or
(b) prohibit third parties from using a term that is evoked by the geographical indication.]
Article QQ.D.5: [NZ/AU/BN/US propose; [72] VN/PE/SG/CL/MY/CA/MX oppose: A Party may provide the means to protect a geographical indication against use in translation by third parties only if such use would, with respect to a geographical indication for goods other than wines and spirits:
(a) give rise to a likelihood of confusion with a prior trademark or geographical indication in the territory of that Party;
(b) mislead the public as to the geographical origin of the good; or
(c) constitute an act of unfair competition within the meaning of Article 10bis of the Paris Convention (1967).
Article QQ.D.6: [US/NZ/AU/CL/SG propose; [73] MX/VN/PE/MY oppose: If a Party grants protection or recognition to a geographical indication through the systems described in Article QQ.D.2 or through an agreement with another government or government entity, such protection or recognition shall commence no earlier than [CL oppose: (i) the filing date in the Party[ [74] ],] (ii) the date on which such agreement enters into force, or (iii) if a Party implements such protection or recognition on a date after entry into force of the agreement, on that later date [75] .]
Article QQ.D.7: [NZ/AU/US propose; [76] PE/CL/VN/SG/MY/BN/CA/MX oppose:
No Party shall preclude the possibility that a term that it recognized as a trademark or geographical indication may become a term customary in the common language as the common name for the associated goods or services.]
Article QQ.D.8: [CL/PE/AU/US/NZ/MX/CA/VN/JP propose [77] ; BN oppose: In determining whether a term is the term customary in the common language as the common name for the relevant goods or services in a Party's territory, a Party's authorities shall have the authority to take into account how consumers understand the term in that Party's territory. Factors relevant to such consumer understanding may include [SG/CL/PE/MX/VN propose: if appropriate]:
(a) whether the term is used to refer to the type of product in question, as indicated by competent sources such as dictionaries, newspapers, and relevant websites;
(b) how the product referenced by the term is marketed and used in trade in the territory of that Party; and
(c) [CL/PE/MX/CA oppose [78] : whether the term is used in relevant international standards to refer to a class or type of product].]
Article QQ.D.9: [NZ/AU/US/VN/BN/CL propose [79] ; PE/MY/MX oppose: An individual component of a multi-component term that is protected as a geographical indication in a Party shall remain available for the public to use in that Party if the individual component is a term customary in the common language as the common name for the associated goods.]
[SG propose [80] : For greater certainty, nothing in this section shall require a Party to apply its provisions in respect of any individual component contained in a GI for which that individual component is identical with the term customary in common language as the common name of such goods in the territory of that Party.]
Article QQ.D.10: [US propose; [81] AU/CL/SG/PE/MY/NZ/BN/VN/MX/CA oppose: The existence of a geographical indication shall not be a ground upon which a Party may:
(a) refuse a trademark owner's otherwise permissible request to renew the registration of its trademark; or
(b) refuse a trademark owner's request to register an otherwise permissible modification of its registered trademark.]
Article QQ.D.11: [CL/SG/BN/VN/MX propose [82] ; AU/PE/US/NZ/CA/JP oppose:
List of Geographical Indications
The terms listed in Annex […] are recognized as geographical indications of the respective Party, within the meaning of paragraph 1 of Article 22 of the TRIPS Agreement. Subject to domestic laws [ [83] ], in a manner that is consistent with the TRIPS Agreement, such terms will be protected as geographical indications in the territories of the other Parties.]
Article QQ.D.12: {Homonymous Geographical Indications}
[NZ/CL/VN/MY/BN/SG/MX propose [84] ; PE/US/AU oppose: 1. Each Party may provide protection to homonymous geographical indications. Where a Party provides protection to homonymous geographical indications, that Party may, where necessary, lay down the practical conditions of use to make a distinction between the homonymous geographical indications, taking into account the need to ensure equitable treatment of the producers concerned and that consumers are not misled.]
[CL propose; AU/US/PE/NZ/VN/SG/MY/BN/MX/CA/JP oppose: 2. The Parties recognize the geographical indication Pisco for the exclusive use for products from Chile and Peru.]
[CL/SG/BN/MX propose; AU/PE/US/NZ/CA/JP oppose:
Annex […] Lists of Geographical Indications]
Article QQ.D.13: {Country Names}
[CL/AU/NZ/SG/BN/VN/MY/PE/CA/MX/JP propose [85] : The Parties shall provide the legal means for interested parties to prevent commercial use of country names of the Parties in relation to goods in a manner which misleads consumers as to the origin of such goods.]
Article QQ.D.14: [US propose [86]; CL/PE/VN/MY/CA oppose: Each Party shall permit the use, and as appropriate, allow the registration, of signs or indications that identify goods other than wines or spirits, and that reference a geographical area that is not the place of origin of the goods, unless such use is misleading, would constitute an act of unfair competition, or would cause a likelihood of confusion with a prior trademark or geographical indication that identifies the same or similar goods. The foregoing shall not be understood to prevent a Party from denying registration of such a sign or indication on other grounds, provided such denial does not derogate from the provisions of the Paris Convention and the TRIPS Agreement.]
{PATENTS/ UNDISCLOSED TEST OR OTHER DATA/ TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE}
{Section E: Patents / Undisclosed Test or Other Data / Traditional Knowledge}
Article QQ.E.1: {Patents / Patentable Subject matter}
1. Subject to the provisions of paragraph 2 and 3, each Party shall make patents available for any invention, whether a product or process, in all fields of technology, provided that the invention is new, involves an inventive step, and is capable of industrial application. [87] [US/AU propose; [88] CL/MY/PE/SG/VN/BN/NZ/CA/MX oppose: The Parties confirm that:
(a) patents shall be available for any new uses or methods of using a known product],
[US/JP propose; CL/MY/PE/SG/VN/BN/AU/NZ/CA/MX oppose: (b) a Party may not deny a patent solely on the basis that the product did not result in enhanced efficacy of the known product when the applicant has set forth distinguishing features establishing that the invention is new, involves an inventive step, and is capable of industrial application.]
2. Each Party may exclude from patentability inventions, the prevention within their territory of the commercial exploitation of which is necessary to protect ordre public or morality, including to protect human, animal or plant life or health or to avoid serious prejudice to nature or the environment, provided that such exclusion is not made merely because the exploitation is prohibited by their law.
3. [US: Consistent with paragraph 1] each Party [US propose; AU/NZ/VN/BN/CL/PE/MY/SG/CA/MX oppose: shall make patents available for inventions for the following] [NZ/CL/PE/MY/AU/VN/BN/SG/CA/MX propose: may also exclude from patentability]:
(a) plants and animals, [NZ/CL/PE/MY/AU/VN/BN/SG/CA/MX propose: other than microorganisms];
[JP oppose: (b) diagnostic, therapeutic, and surgical methods for the treatment of humans or animals [US propose; AU/SG/MY/NZ/CL/PE/VN/BN/CA/MX oppose: if they cover a method of using a machine, manufacture, or composition of matter]; [NZ/CL/PE/MY/AU/VN/BN/SG/CA/MX propose:] and
(c) essentially biological processes for the production of plants or animals, other than non-biological and microbiological processes for such production.]
[MX propose: (d) and the diagrams, plans, rules and methods for carrying out mental processes, playing games or doing business, and mathematical methods as such; software as such; methods to present information as such; and aesthetic creations and artistic or literary works.]
[NZ/CA/SG/CL/MY propose: ALT 3. Each Party may also exclude from patentability:
(a) diagnostic, therapeutic and surgical methods for the treatment of humans or animals; and
(b) plants and animals other than microorganisms, and essentially biological processes for the production of plants or animals other than nonbiological and microbiological processes. However, Parties shall provide for the protection of plant varieties either by patents or by an effective sui generis system or by any combination thereof.]
Article QQ.E.2: {Patentable Subject Matter}
Each Party shall [89] disregard at least information contained in public disclosures used to determine if an invention is novel or has an inventive step if the public disclosure[ [90] ] [ [91] ] [92] :
(a) was made by the patent applicant or by a person who obtained the information directly or indirectly from the patent applicant,
and
(b) occurred within 12 months prior to the date of filing of the application in the territory of the Party.
Article QQ.E.3: [US: Without prejudice to Article 5A (3) of the Paris Convention,] Each Party shall provide that a patent may be cancelled, revoked or nullified only on grounds that would have justified a refusal to grant the patent. A Party may also provide that fraud, misrepresentation, or inequitable conduct may be the basis for cancelling, revoking, or nullifying a patent or holding a patent unenforceable. [AU/CL/MY/NZ/BN/CA/MX/VN propose [93]; US/JP oppose: A Party may also provide that a patent may be cancelled, revoked or nullified on the basis that the patent is used in a manner determined to be anti-competitive in a judicial [VZ/CA/MX propose: or administrative] proceeding] [AU/CL/CA/MX propose: US oppose; consistent with Article 5A(3) of the Paris Convention.]
Article QQ.E.4: [94]
Article QQ.E.4: {Opposition to Grant of Patent}
[NZ/CA/SG/CL/MY propose: Each Party shall provide a procedure for third persons to oppose the grant of a patent, either before or after the grant of a patent, or both.]
Article QQ.E.5: {Exceptions}
Each Party may provide limited exceptions to the exclusive rights conferred by a patent, provided that such exceptions do not unreasonably conflict with a normal exploitation of the patent and do not unreasonably prejudice the legitimate interests of the patent owner, taking into account the legitimate interests of third parties.
Article QQ.E.5bis: {Regulatory Review Exception}
[NZ/CA/SG/CL/MY propose: Consistent with [Article QQ.E.5 (Exceptions)], each Party may provide that a third person may do an act that would otherwise infringe a patent if the act is done for purposes connected with the collection and submission of data in order to comply with the regulatory requirements of that Party or another country, including for purposes connected with marketing or sanitary approval.]
Article QQ.E.5ter: {Experimental Use of a Patent}
[NZ/CA/SG/CL/MY propose: 1. Consistent with [Article QQ.E.5 (Exceptions) ], each Party may provide that a third person may do an act that would otherwise infringe a patent if the act is done for experimental purposes relating to the subject matter of a patented invention.
2. For the purposes of this Article, experimental purposes may include, but need not be limited to, determining how the invention works, determining the scope of the invention, determining the validity of the claims, or seeking an improvement of the invention (for example, determining new properties, or new uses, of the invention).]
Article QQ.E.5quater: {Other Use Without Authorisation of the Right Holder}
[NZ/CA/SG/CL/MY propose: Nothing in this Chapter shall limit a Party's rights and obligations under Article 31 of the TRIPS Agreement or any amendment thereto.]
Article QQ.E.6: {Patent filing}
1 Each Party shall provide that where an invention is made independently by more than one inventor, and separate applications claiming that invention are filed with or for the relevant authority of the Party, any patent granted for the claimed invention shall be granted on the application [US/VN/MX propose; AU/NZ/CL/MY/CA/PE oppose: which has been found to be patentable and] which has the earliest filing or, if applicable, priority date [AU/NZ/PE/BN/CL/CA [95] propose; [96] US/VN/MY/MX/SG oppose: and which is published].[US: [97] ]
Article QQ.E.7: Each Party shall provide patent applicants with at least one opportunity to make amendments, corrections, and observations in connection with their applications [98] .
Article QQ.E.8: [US/AU/PE/VN propose; [99] CL/MY/BN/NZ/CA/SG/MX [100] oppose: Each Party shall provide that a disclosure of a claimed invention shall be considered to be sufficiently clear and complete if it provides information that allows the invention to be made and used by a person skilled in the art, without undue experimentation, as of the filing date.]
Article QQ.E.9: [US/PE/AU propose; [101] CL/VN/MY/BN/NZ/CA/SG/MX oppose: Each Party shall provide that a claimed invention [AU oppose: is] [AU propose: shall be] sufficiently supported by its disclosure [AU oppose: if the disclosure reasonably conveys to a person skilled in the art that the applicant was in possession of the claimed invention] as of the filing date.]
Article QQ.E.10: [US/AU/MX propose; [102] SG/CL/MY/VN/PE/BN/NZ/CA oppose: Each Party shall provide that a claimed invention is [US/AU propose: useful] [MX propose: industrially applicable] if it has a specific [MX propose: and], substantial, [MX oppose: and credible] utility.]
Article QQ.E.11: {Publication of Patent Applications}
[AU/PE/NZ/MY/CL/VN/US/CA/MX/JP: 1. Each Party shall publish [US/MX oppose: or make available for public inspection] any patent application promptly after the expiry of 18 months from its filing date or, if priority is claimed, from its priority date, unless the application has been published earlier or has been withdrawn, abandoned or refused [CA propose: , without leaving any rights outstanding].] [103]
[AU/PE/NZ/CL/VN/CA/MX propose; MY oppose: 2. Each Party shall provide that an applicant may request the early publication of an application prior to the expiry of the period mentioned above.]
Article QQ.E.12: [US/AU [104]/CA/SG/PE/CL/NZ/JP propose; MY/BN/VN/MX oppose: For published [105] patent applications and issued patents, each Party shall make available to the public [US/PE/CA propose: at least] the following information: submitted [US/SG/PE propose: to that Party's competent authorities] in accordance with [US/SG/PE propose: their] requirements [US/SG/PE oppose: of the Party's competent authorities] [AU/CA/CL propose: in their possession] [US/SG/PE propose: and] in connection with the prosecution of such patent applications and patents:
(a) search and examination results, [JP oppose: including any relevant prior art search histories];
(b) [SG/PE/CL/US/NZ/AU/JP propose: non confidential]106 communications from applicants; and
c) patent and non-patent related literature citations submitted by applicants, and relevant third parties.]
Article QQ.E.X: {Exhaustion of Rights}
[CL propose: The Parties are encouraged to establish international exhaustion of patent rights. For this purpose, the registration of a patent shall not entitle its holder to prevent third parties from making, using, offering for sale, selling or importing a product protected by that patent, which has been put in the market in any country by the patent holder or with his consent.]
Article QQ.E.XX
[US propose; CA/NZ/JP oppose: Each Party, at the request of the patent owner, shall adjust the term of a patent to compensate for unreasonable delays that occur in the granting of the patent. For purposes of this subparagraph, an unreasonable delay at least shall include a delay in the issuance of the patent of more than four years from the date of filing of the application in the territory of the Party, or two years after a request for examination of the application has been made, whichever is later. Periods attributable to actions of the patent applicant need not be included in the determination of such delays. Any patent term adjustment under this article shall confer all of the exclusive rights of a patent subject to the same limitations and exceptions that would otherwise apply to the patent absent any adjustment of the patent term.]
Article QQ.E.13 [107] [108] : {Exceptions / Regulatory Review Exception}
[US/NZ/PE/CA/MX/JP propose: Consistent with paragraph [QQ.E.5] (patent exceptions and limitations), each Party shall permit] [CL/SG/MY/AU/VN/BN propose: Where a Party permits] a third person to use the subject matter of a subsisting patent to [US/NZ/PE/AU/MX/VN/BN/JP] propose: generate information necessary to] support an application for [AU/CA/MX/VN/BN propose: regulatory or] marketing approval [CL/NZ/PE/SG/MY/AU/CA/MX/VN/BN propose: or sanitary permit] of a [AU/CA/VN/BN oppose: pharmaceutical] product [PE propose: or agricultural chemical product], [US/NZ/PE/SG/MY/MX/JP propose: and shall further] [CL/AU/CA/VN/BN propose: that Party may also] provide that any product produced under such authority [CL/AU/CA/VN/BN propose: may be] [US/NZ/PE/SG/MY/MX/JP propose: shall not be] made, [CA propose: constructed,] [CL/PE/VN/BN propose: offered for sale], [PE/VN/BN propose: imported,] used, or sold in its territory [US/NZ/PE/SG/MY/MX/JP propose: other than] for purposes related to [US/NZ/PE/AU/MX/VN/BN/JP propose: generating such information to support an application for] meeting [AU/CA/MX/VN/BN propose: regulatory or] marketing approval [CL/NZ/PE/SG/MY/AU/CA/MX/VN/BN propose: or sanitary permit] requirements of that Party [NZ/SG/MY/AU/CA/MX/CL/VN/BN propose: or another country].
[US/SG/MY/PE/MX/CL propose; [109] NZ/AU/CA/VN/BN oppose: If the Party permits exportation of such a product, the Party shall provide that the product shall only]] [NZ/CA/BN propose: Each Party shall permit a product to] [AU/VN propose: Each Party may permit such a product to] be exported outside its territory [US/NZ/PE/AU/MX/VN/BN propose: for purposes of generating information] to support an application for meeting [AU/CA/MX/VN/BN propose: regulatory or] marketing approval [CL/NZ/SG/MY/PE/AU/CA/MX/VN/BN propose: or sanitary approval] requirements of that Party [CL/NZ/SG/MY/AU/CA/MX/VN/BN propose: or another country].
Article QQ.E.14: [US propose; [110] AU/NZ/CL/PE/MY/SG/BN/VN/CA/MX oppose: 6.
(a) Each Party shall make best efforts to process patent applications and marketing approval applications expeditiously with a view to avoiding unreasonable or unnecessary delays.
(c) Each Party, at the request of the patent owner, shall make available an adjustment of the patent term of a patent which covers a new pharmaceutical product [111] or a patent that covers a method of making or using a pharmaceutical product, to compensate the patent owner of unreasonable curtailment of the effective patent term as a result of the marketing approval process.
(d) In implementing subparagraph 6(c), a Party may:
(i) limit the applicability of subparagraph 6(c) to a single patent term adjustment for each new pharmaceutical product that is being reviewed for marketing approval;
(ii) require the basis for the adjustment to be the first marketing approval granted to the pharmaceutical product in that Party; and
(iii) limit the period of the adjustment to no more than 5 years.
(e) In implementing subparagraph 6(c), and as a condition for providing the adjustment set forth in subparagraph 6(c) for a new pharmaceutical product approved consistent with Article 9.2(b) or Article 9.2(d), a Party may require an applicant that has submitted an application for marketing approval consistent with Article 9.2(b) or Article 9.2(d) to commence the process of obtaining marketing approval for that new pharmaceutical product in the Party within [X] years of the date of the first marketing approval of the same pharmaceutical product in another Party. [112]
(f) Any adjustment under subparagraph 6(c) shall confer all of the exclusive rights, subject to the same limitations and exceptions, of the patent claims of the product, its method of use, or its method of manufacture in the originally issued patent as applicable to the product and the approved method of use of the product.]] ]
TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT: INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY [RIGHTS] CHAPTER CONSOLIDATED TEXT
by Trans-Pacific Partnership
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WikiLeaks Release: November 13, 2013
Secret TPP treaty: Advanced Intellectual Property chapter for all 12 nations with negotiating positions
WikiLeaks release: November 13, 2013
Description
This is the confidential draft treaty chapter from the Intellectual Property group of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) talks between the United States, Japan, Mexico, Canada, Australia, Malaysia, Chile, Singapore, Peru, Vietnam, New Zealand and Brunei Darussalam. The treaty is being negotiated in secret by delegations from each of the 12 countries, who together account for 40% of global GDP. The chapter covers proposed international obligations and enforcement mechanisms for copyright, trademark and patent law, and includes the combined positions of all of the parties as they were by the end of August 2013. The document was produced and distributed to the Chief Negotiators on August 30, 2013, after the 19th Round of Negotiations at Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei.
This Document Contains TPP CONFIDENTIAL Information
MODIFIED HANDLING AUTHORIZED
TPP Negotiations, R18
IP Group
Intellectual Property [Rights] Chapter
30 August
2013
COVER PAGE
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY [RIGHTS] CHAPTER
CONSOLIDATED TEXT
CHAPTER QQ [1]
{INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS / INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY}
{GENERAL PROVISIONS}
{Section A: General Provisions}
Article QQ.A.1: {Definitions}
For the purposes of this Chapter:
Intellectual property [2] refers to all categories of intellectual property that are the subject of Sections 1 through 7 of Part II of the TRIPS Agreement [3].
Article QQ.A.2: {Objectives} [4]
[NZ/CL/PE/VN/BN/MY/SG/CA [5] /MX [6] propose; US/JP oppose: The objectives of this Chapter are:
a. Enhance the role of intellectual property in promoting economic and social development, particularly in relation to the new digital economy, technological innovation, the [PE: generation,] transfer and dissemination of technology and trade;
b. reduce impediments to trade and investment by promoting deeper economic integration through effective and adequate creation, utilization, protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights, taking into account the different levels of economic development and capacity as well as differences in national legal systems;
c. maintain a balance between the rights of intellectual property holders and the legitimate interests of users and the community in subject matter protected by intellectual property.
d. protect the ability of Parties to identify, promote access to and preserve the public domain;
e. Ensure that measures and procedures to enforce intellectual property rights do not themselves become barriers to legitimate trade;
f. Promote operational efficiency of intellectual property systems, in particular through quality examination procedures during the granting of intellectual property rights.]
[NZ/CA/SG/CL/MY/VN propose. g. The protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights should contribute to the promotion of technological innovation and to the transfer and dissemination of technology, to the mutual advantage of producers and users of technological knowledge and in a manner conducive to social and economic welfare, and to a balance of rights and obligations.
h. Support each Party's right to protect public health, including by facilitating timely access to affordable medicines.]
[Article QQ.A.2bis: {Principles}
[NZ/CA/SG/CL/MY propose: 1. Each Party may, in formulating or amending its laws and regulations, adopt measures necessary to protect public health and nutrition, and to promote the public interest in sectors of vital importance to its socio-economic and technological development, provided that such measures are consistent with the provisions of this Chapter.
2. Each Party may adopt or maintain appropriate measures, provided that they are consistent with the provisions of this Chapter, to prevent the abuse of intellectual property rights by right holders or the resort to practices which unreasonably restrain trade or adversely affect the international transfer of technology.
3. Each Party may adopt or maintain, consistently with the other provisions of this Chapter, appropriate measures to prevent or control practices or conditions that may in particular cases constitute an abuse of intellectual property rights having an adverse effect on competition in the relevant market.]]
Article QQ.A.3: {General Provisions}
Each Party shall give effect to the provisions of this Chapter. A Party may, but shall not be obliged to, provide more extensive protection for, and enforcement of, intellectual property rights under its law than is required by this Chapter, provided that such protection and enforcement does not contravene the provisions of this Chapter. Each Party shall be free to determine the appropriate method of implementing the provisions of this Chapter within its own legal system and practice.
Article QQ.A.4: {Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health}
The Parties affirm their commitment to the Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health (WT/MIN(01)/DEC/2).
Article QQ.A.5: {Understandings Regarding Certain Public Health Measures [7]}
The Parties have reached the following understandings regarding this Chapter:
(a) The obligations of this Chapter do not and should not prevent a Party from taking measures to protect public health by promoting access to medicines for all, in particular concerning cases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, [US oppose: chagas] and other epidemics as well as circumstances of extreme urgency or national emergency. Accordingly, while reiterating their commitment to this Chapter, the Parties affirm that this Chapter can and should be interpreted and implemented in a manner supportive of each Party's right to protect public health and, in particular, to promote access to medicines for all. [8]
(b) In recognition of the commitment to access to medicines that are supplied in accordance with the Decision of the General Council of 30 August 2003 on the Implementation of Paragraph Six of the Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health (WT/L/540) and the WTO General Council Chairman's statement accompanying the Decision (JOB(03)/177, WT/GC/M/82 ) [SG/BN/VN/PE/CL/CA/MY/NZ/US/AU [9]/MX/JP: , as well as the Decision on the Amendment of the TRIPS Agreement, adopted by the General Council, 6 December 2005 US/MY propose: and the WTO General Council Chairperson's statement accompanying the Decision (WT/GC/M/100)] (collectively, the “TRIPS/health solution”), this Chapter does not and should not prevent the effective utilization of the TRIPS/health solution.
(c) With respect to the aforementioned matters, if [US oppose: any waiver of any provision of the TRIPS Agreement, or any] [US propose: an] amendment of the TRIPS Agreement, enters into force with respect to the Parties, and a Party's application of a measure in conformity with that [US oppose: waiver or] amendment [US oppose: is contrary to the obligations of] [US propose: violates ] this Chapter, the Parties shall immediately consult in order to adapt this Chapter as appropriate in the light of the [US oppose: waiver or] amendment.
Article QQ.A.6: {Existing Rights and Obligations / International Agreements}
1. [US: Further to Article –AA.2,] the Parties affirm their existing rights and obligations with respect to each other under the TRIPS Agreement [CL/PE: and any other multilateral agreements relating to intellectual property to which they are party] [MX propose: The TRIPS Agreement is incorporated into and made part of this Agreement, mutatis mutandis.][CA Propose: 1. Except as otherwise provided in this Chapter, nothing in this Chapter shall be construed as a limitation to the flexibilities, exceptions and limitations set out on the TRIPS Agreement and any other multilateral agreement relating to intellectual property to which they are party.]
[CL/NZ propose; US/AU/JP/MX oppose: 2. Nothing in this Chapter shall derogate from existing rights and obligations that Parties have to each other under the TRIPS Agreement or other multilateral agreements, such as those concluded or administered under the auspices of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).] [10]
[CA propose; MX/US oppose: 2. Except as otherwise provided in this Chapter, the Parties shall interpret this Chapter in such a way as to be [complementary to / compatible with] their rights and obligations under multilateral treaties concluded or administered under the auspices of the World Trade Organization (WTO), the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to which they are party, especially with regards to measures aimed at protecting public health and protecting equal access to knowledge and food.]
[CL/NZ/VN/BN/MY/PE: [11] 3. [Except as otherwise provided in this Chapter,] Nothing in this Chapter shall be construed as a limitation to the flexibilities, exceptions and limitations set out on the TRIPS Agreement and any other multilateral agreement relating to intellectual property to which they are party, especially with regards to measures aimed at protecting equal access to knowledge, food and public health.]]
[US/AU propose; CL/NZ/MY/PE/BN/VN/CA/JP/MX [12] oppose: [13] 4. Each Party shall ratify or accede to the following agreements by the date of entry into force of this Agreement:
(a) Patent Cooperation Treaty (1970), as amended in 1979;
(b) Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property (1967);
(c) Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works (1971);
(d) Convention Relating to the Distribution of Programme-Carrying Signals Transmitted by Satellite (1974);
(e) Protocol Relating to the Madrid Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Marks (1989);
(f) Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure (1977), as amended in 1980;
(g) International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants [MX propose: (1961) as revised in 1972, 1978 or] (1991) (UPOV Convention);
(h) Singapore Treaty on the Law of Trademarks (2006);
(i) WIPO Copyright Treaty (1996); and
(j) WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty (1996).]
[US/AU/NZ/PE/CA/JP/SG/MX [14] propose: 5. Each Party shall notify the WTO of its acceptance of the Protocol amending the TRIPS Agreement done at Geneva on December 6, 2005.]
[US/SG propose; CL/MY/NZ/PE//VN/BN/CA/JP/MX [15] oppose: 6. Each Party shall make all reasonable efforts to ratify or accede to the following agreements by the date of entry into force of the Agreement:
[SG oppose: (a) Patent Law Treaty (2000); and]
(b) Hague Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs (1999).]
Article QQ.A.7: {National Treatment}
1 [16]. In respect of all categories of intellectual property covered in this Chapter, each Party shall accord to nationals [17] of the other Party treatment no less favorable than it accords to its own nationals with regard to the protection [18] [NZ/BN/MY/CA/JP/SG/VN oppose: and enjoyment of such intellectual property rights, and any benefits derived from such rights.][NZ/VN/BN/MY/CL/PE/JP/SG [19] propose [20]; US/AU [21] oppose: of intellectual property, subject to the exceptions provided in the TRIPS Agreement and in those multilateral agreements concluded under the auspices of WIPO.] [CL/AU/NZ/BN/PE [22] propose: With respect to secondary uses of phonograms by means of analog communications and free over-the-air radio broadcasting, however, a Party may limit the rights of the performers and producers of the other Party to the rights its persons are accorded within the jurisdiction of the other Party.] [23]
[VN: Articles 3 and 5 of the TRIPS shall apply with necessary modifications to the protection of intellectual property in this Chapter.]
2. A Party may derogate from paragraph 1 [national treatment] in relation to its judicial and administrative procedures, including requiring a national of the other Party to designate an address for service of process in its territory, or to appoint an agent in its territory, provided that such derogation is:
(a) necessary to secure compliance with laws and regulations that are not inconsistent with this Chapter; and
(b) not applied in a manner that would constitute a disguised restriction on trade.
[CL:3 Paragraphs 1 and 2 do] [US: Paragraph [X national treatment/judicial and administrative procedures] does] not apply to procedures in multilateral agreements concluded under the auspices of WIPO relating to the acquisition or maintenance of intellectual property rights.
Article QQ.A.8: {Most-Favoured-Nation Treatment}
[PE/CL: With regards to the protection and defence of intellectual property referred to in this chapter, any advantage, favour, privilege or immunity granted by a Party to the nationals of any other country will be accorded immediately and unconditionally to the nationals of the other Parties. The exceptions to this obligation shall be in conformity with the pertinent dispositions referred to in articles 4 and 5 of the TRIPS Agreement.]
[VN: Articles 4 and 5 of the TRIPS shall apply with necessary modifications to the protection of intellectual property in this Chapter.]
Article QQ.A.9: {Implementation of this Chapter}
[CL/NZ/VN/AU/BN/SG/PE/MY/MX/CA [24] propose; US/JP oppose: 1. Nothing in this Chapter shall prevent a Party from adopting appropriate measures to prevent: (a) the abuse of intellectual property rights by right holders or the resort to practices that unreasonably restrain trade or adversely affect the international transfer of technology; and (b) anticompetitive practices that may result from the abuse of intellectual property rights;, provided that such measures are consistent with this Agreement. [PE propose; CL/AU oppose: Nothing in this Chapter shall be construed to reduce the protection that the Parties agree on or have agreed on in benefit of the conservation or sustainable use of biodiversity.]]
Article QQ.A.10: {Transparency}
[NZ/AU [25]/US/SG [26] /MY/PE/VN/JP/MX propose: 1. [US: Further to Article ___ (Publication), and with the object of making the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights transparent,] Each Party shall ensure that its laws, regulations and procedures [VN: or administrative rulings of general application] concerning the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights [US: are in writing and are] [US oppose: shall be] published [27], or where such publication is not [US/PE oppose: practical] [US/PE: practicable], are made publicly available [US/AU/NZ: in a national language in such a manner as to enable [AU oppose: governments and right holders] [AU: interested persons and Parties] to become acquainted with them.] [US/AU/NZ oppose: in at least the national language of that Party or in the English language.]] [28]
[NZ/AU/SG/MY/CA [29]/MX/CL propose; VN/PE oppose: 2. Each Party shall endeavour to make available on the Internet [AU/NZ:
(a) its laws, regulations, procedures, and administrative rulings of general application concerning the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights; and]
(b) [JP oppose: those details of patent, trademark, design, plant variety protection and geographical indication applications that are open to public inspection under national law.]]
[US/MX propose; BN oppose: 4 [30]. Nothing in this Chapter shall require a Party to disclose confidential information the disclosure of which would impede law enforcement or otherwise be contrary to the public interest [PE oppose: or would prejudice the legitimate commercial interests of particular enterprises, public or private ].] [31]
Article QQ.A.11: {Application of Agreement to Existing Subject Matter and Prior Acts}
[US propose: 1. Except as it otherwise provides, including in Article QQ.G.8__ (Berne 18/TRIPS 14.6), this Chapter gives rise to obligations in respect of all subject matter existing at the date of entry into force of this Agreement that is protected on that date in the territory of the Party where protection is claimed, or that meets or comes subsequently to meet the criteria for protection under this Chapter. [32]]
2. [33] [CL/NZ/PE/MY/BN/VN/CA/MX oppose: Except as otherwise provided in this Chapter, including Article QQ.G.8____ (Berne 18/TRIPS 14.6),] a Party shall not be required to restore protection to subject matter that on the date of entry into force of this Agreement has fallen into the public domain in its territory.
3. This Chapter does not give rise to obligations in respect of acts that occurred before the date of entry into force of this Agreement.
Article QQ.A.12: {International Exhaustion of Rights}
[CL/MY/NZ/VN/SG/BN/PE propose; US/AU/JP/MX oppose: The Parties are encouraged to establish international exhaustion of rights.]
Article QQ.A.13: {Public Domain}
[CL/VN/PE propose: Each Party shall endeavour to provide relevant information to disseminate public domain, including appropriate tools that help to identify the [CL: extension] [VN: expiration] of the terms of protection of intellectual property rights.]
[CL/VN propose: 1. The Parties recognize the importance of a rich and accessible public domain for their societies and the need that public domain material shall be free for its use by all persons.
2. For purposes of paragraph 1, each Party shall endeavor to:
a) identify subject matter that has fallen into the public domain within their respective jurisdictions;
b) promote access to the public domain; and
c) preserve the public domain.
3. Actions to achieve the purposes referred to in paragraph 2, may include the development of publicly accessible data bases of registered rights, guidelines and other tools to enhance access to material in the public domain.
4. Each Party shall make its best efforts to promote cooperation among the Parties to identify and facilitate access to subject matter that has fallen into the public domain and share updated information related to right holders and terms of protection.]
[CL/VN Alternative Proposal:
1. The Parties recognize the importance of a rich and accessible public domain for their societies and the need that public domain material shall be free for its use by all persons.
2. For this purpose, Parties may include the development of publicly accessible data bases of registered rights, guidelines and other tools to enhance access to material in the public domain.
3. Each Party shall make its best efforts to promote cooperation among the Parties to identify and faciliate access to subject matter that has fallen into the public domain and share updated information related to right holders and terms of protection.]
COOPERATION
Note: We have not introduced braces into this section because party attributions are not clear based on the text.
Section B: Cooperation
Article QQ.B.1: {Contact Points}
Each Party shall designate at least one contact point for the purpose of cooperation under this section.
Article QQ.B.2: [NZ/CL/SG/VN/MY/BN/MX propose: Cooperation in the implementation of international agreements
[NZ/CL/SG/BN/AU/MY/PE/VN/MX propose: 1. [AU/US oppose: Where a Party is a member of any of the following agreements, that Party shall, where appropriate and upon request by another Party, support that Party in implementing any of the following agreements] [AU/CA/JP/SG: A Party may seek to cooperate with other Parties to support its accession to, and implementation of, the agreements X-X ]:
(a) Patent Cooperation Treaty;
[PE/CA oppose: (b) Protocol Relating to the Madrid Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Marks;
(c) Singapore Treaty on the Law of Trademarks;] and
(d) Nice Agreement Concerning the International Classification of Goods and Services for the Purposes of the Registration of Marks.]
[JP/SG/PE propose: (e) International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (1991) (UPOV Convention)]
[AU: 2. Each Party shall endeavor to provide such cooperation as appropriate and upon request.]
Article QQ.B.3 {Cooperation Activities}
[AU/CL/NZ/PE/SG/BN/MX/VN/MY/US/CA propose: The Parties shall endeavour to cooperate on the subject matter covered by this Chapter through appropriate coordination, training and exchange of information between the intellectual property offices, [or other relevant institutions] [34], of the Parties. Cooperation may cover such areas as:
(a) developments in domestic and international intellectual property policy
(b) intellectual property administration and registration systems
(c) education and awareness relating to intellectual property
(d) intellectual property issues relevant to:
a. small and medium-sized enterprises
b. science, technology & innovation activities [PE propose: , which may include generation, transfer and dissemination of technology.]
(e) policies involving the use of intellectual property for research, innovation and economic growth
(f) such other areas as may be agreed among [AU/NZ oppose: the] Parties.]
Article QQ.B.4: {Patent Cooperation}
[[AU/CL/MY/NZ/SG/PE/VN/CA/MX/BN/JP propose: In order to improve quality and efficiency in the Parties' patent systems,] The Parties shall endeavour to [US/SG propose: cooperate] [US oppose: establish a framework for cooperation] among their respective patent offices to facilitate the [AU/CL/MY/NZ/SG/PE/VN/CA/MX/BN/JP oppose: exploitation] [AU/CL/MY/NZ/SG/PE/VN/CA/MX/BN/JP propose: sharing and use] of search and examination work of other Parties. This may include:
(a) making search and examination results available to the patent offices of other Parties, and
(b) exchanges of information on quality assurance systems and quality standards relating to patent searching and examination;
[JP propose; CL/PE oppose: (c) implementing and promoting the Patent Prosecution Highway;]
[CL/AU/MY/NZ/SG/PE/VN/CA/MX/BN oppose: which may, among other things, facilitate work sharing.] [35]] [36]
[JP proposal: 2. In the course of the cooperation referred to Paragraph 1, the Parties are encouraged not to require the applicants to submit search and examination results, including cited documents, made available by the patent offices of other Parties, with a view to reducing the procedural costs of the applicants.]
Article QQ.B.5: Cooperation activities and initiatives undertaken under this Chapter shall be subject to the availability of resources, and on request and on terms and conditions mutually agreed upon between the Parties involved. [VN propose: , including the technical assistance for developing countries.]
{TRADEMARKS}
{Section C: Trademarks}
Article QQ.C.1: {Types of Signs Registrable as Trademarks}
[NZ/US/AU/CL/PE/SG/CA/JP/MY [37] propose: 1. [VN/BN/MX oppose: No] Party may require, as a condition of registration, that a sign be visually perceptible, [VN/BN/MX oppose: nor may a Party] [VN/BN/MX propose: and] deny registration of a trademark solely on the ground that the sign of which it is composed is a sound [CL/CA/JP/MY oppose: or a scent] [CL/CA/MX/MY propose: Each Party may provide trademark protection for scents].] A Party may require a concise and accurate description, or graphical representation, or both, as applicable, of the trademark.
Article QQ.C.2: {Collective and Certification Marks}
1. Each Party shall provide that trademarks shall include collective marks and certification marks. A Party is not obligated to treat certification marks as a separate category in its domestic law, provided that such marks are protected.
Each Party [JP/MX propose: may][ JP oppose: shall] also provide that signs that may serve as geographical indications are eligible for protection under its trademark system [ [38] ] [39] [PE/NZ/MX/CL/BN/AU/US/JP/SG oppose; VN propose [40]: A Party may provide that Signs descriptive of geographical origin of goods or services, including geographical indication as defined in Article 22 of the TRIPS Agreement, may not be protected as trademarks other than collective and certification marks, unless they have acquired distinctiveness through use.]
[US/PE/MX [41] /SG propose; AU/NZ/ VN/BN/MY/CL/CA oppose: 2. Pursuant to Article 20 of the TRIPS Agreement, each Party shall ensure that its measures mandating the use of the term customary in common language as the common name for a good or service (“common name”) including, inter alia, requirements concerning the relative size, placement or style of use of the trademark in relation to the common name, do not impair the use or effectiveness of trademarks used in relation to such good or service. [ [42] ]] [43] [ [44] ]
Article QQ.C.3: {Use of Identical or Similar Signs}
Each Party shall provide that the owner of a registered trademark shall have the exclusive right to prevent third parties not having the owner's consent from using in the course of trade identical or similar signs, [PE/MY/VN/CA/MX oppose [45] : including subsequent geographical indications,] for goods or services that are related to those goods or services in respect of which the owner's trademark is registered, where such use would result in a likelihood of confusion.
In the case of the use of an identical sign, [PE/MY/SG/CL/CA/MX/VN oppose [46] : including a geographical indication,] for identical goods or services, a likelihood of confusion shall be presumed.
Article QQ.C.4:
Each Party may provide limited exceptions to the rights conferred by a trademark, such as fair use of descriptive terms, provided that such exceptions take account of the legitimate interest of the owner of the trademark and of third parties.
[VN propose; AU/US/NZ/SG/MY/CL/PE/CA/JP/BN oppose: The owner of a registered trademark shall not have the right to prevent third parties from using geographical indications or other signs descriptive of goods and services even though they are identical or similar to the trademark unless such use would result in confusion.] [47]
Article QQ.C.5: {Well Known Trademarks}
1. No Party may require as a condition for determining that a trademark is well-known that the trademark has been registered in the Party or in another jurisdiction, included on a list of well-known trademarks, or given prior recognition as a well-known trademark.
2. Article 6bis of the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property (1967) shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to goods or services that are not identical or similar to those identified by a well-known trademark,[ [48] ] [BN oppose: whether registered or not [49] ,] provided that use of that trademark in relation to those goods or services would indicate a connection between those goods or services and the owner of the trademark, and provided that the interests of the owner of the trademark are likely to be damaged by such use.
3. Each Party recognizes the importance of the Joint Recommendation Concerning Provisions on the Protection of Well-Known Marks (1999) as adopted by the Assembly of the Paris Union for the Protection of Industrial Property and the General Assembly of WIPO.
[US/BN/CL/PE/MX/CA/JP/NZ/SG/VN propose; AU/MY oppose: 4 [50] . Each Party shall [PE/BN/MX/CA [51] propose: according to domestic laws] provide for appropriate measures to refuse or cancel the registration and prohibit the use of a trademark that is identical or similar to a well-known trademark, [SG/VN propose: as being already well-known before the registration or use of the first-mentioned trademark,] for related goods or services, if the use of that trademark is likely to cause confusion [CA/SG/VN oppose: [52] or to deceive or risk associating the trademark with the owner of the well-known trademark, or constitutes unfair exploitation of the reputation of the well-known trademark.]]
Article QQ.C.6: {Examination, Opposition and Cancellation / Procedural Aspects}
Each Party shall provide a system for the examination and registration of trademarks which shall include, inter alia:
(a) providing to the applicant a communication in writing, which may be electronic, of the reasons for any refusal to register a trademark;
(b) providing the opportunity for the applicant to respond to communications from the competent authorities, to contest an initial refusal, and to appeal judicially any final refusal to register a trademark;
(c) providing an opportunity to oppose the registration of a trademark or to seek cancellation [53] of a trademark; and
(d) requiring that administrative decisions in oppositions and cancellation proceedings be reasoned and in writing. Written decisions may be provided electronically.
Article QQ.C.7: {Electronic Trademarks System}
Each Party shall provide:
(a) a system for the electronic application for, and maintenance of, trademarks; and
(b) a publicly available electronic information system, including an online database, of trademark applications and of registered trademarks.
Article QQ.C.8: {Classification of Goods and Services}
Each Party shall adopt or maintain a trademark classification system that is consistent with the Nice Agreement Concerning the International Classification of Goods and Services for the Purposes of the Registration of Marks (Nice Classification) of [June 15, 1957], as revised and amended. Each Party shall provide that:
[CA oppose: (a) registrations and the publications of applications indicate the goods and services by their names, grouped according to the classes established by the Nice Classification [54] ; and]
(b) goods or services may not be considered as being similar to each other on the ground that, in any registration or publication, they are classified in the same class of the Nice Classification. Conversely, each Party shall provide that goods or services may not be considered as being dissimilar from each other on the ground that, in any registration or publication, they are classified in different classes of the Nice Classification.
Article QQ.C.9: {Term of Protection for Trademarks}
Each Party shall provide that initial registration and each renewal of registration of a trademark shall be for a term of no less than 10 years.
Article QQ.C.10 [55]: No Party may require recordal of trademark licenses:
a. to establish the validity of the license;
[US/CA/NZ/SG/JP/AU propose; VN/MX/BN/PE/CL/MY oppose: b. as a condition for the right of a licensee to join infringement proceedings initiated by the holder, or to obtain by way of such proceedings damages resulting from an infringement of the trademark which is subject to the license; or
c. as a condition for use of a trademark by a licensee, to be deemed to constitute use by the holder in proceedings relating to the acquisition, maintenance and enforcement of trademarks.]
Article QQ.C.11: {International Exhaustion of Rights}
[CL/NZ/SG/VN/PE/MY/BN/AU/CA/MX propose; US/JP oppose: The Parties are encouraged to establish international exhaustion of trademark rights. For this purpose, the registration of a trademark shall not entitle the proprietor to prohibit its use in relation to goods which have been put on the market in any country under that trademark by the proprietor or with his consent.]
Article QQ.C.12: {Domain Names on the Internet}
1. [56] In order to address the problem of trademark [VN/MX propose: geographical indication and trade name] cyber-piracy, each Party shall adopt or maintain a system for the management of its country-code top-level domain (ccTLD) that provides:
(a) an appropriate procedure for the settlement of disputes, based on, or modelled along the same lines as, the principles established in the Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy, or that is: (i) designed to resolve disputes expeditiously and at low cost, (ii) fair and equitable, (iii) not overly burdensome, and (iv) does not preclude resort to court litigation;
(b) online public access to a reliable and accurate database of contact information concerning domain-name registrants [57];
in accordance with each Party's laws regarding protection of privacy [58] and personal data. [59]
2. [PE/SG/CL/AU/NZ/MY/BN/CA oppose; US/VN/JP/MX propose: Each party shall provide [VN: oppose adequate and effective] [VN propose: appropriate] remedies against the registration trafficking [60], or use in any ccTLD, with a bad faith intent to profit, of a domain name that is identical or confusingly similar to a trademark [VN/MX propose: , geographical indication or trade name].]
{GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS}
{Section D: Geographical Indications}
Article QQ.D.1: {Recognition of Geographical Indications}
The Parties recognize that [US propose; CL/PE/CA/MX/SG/MY/BN/VN/JP oppose: , subject to Article QQ.C.2(1), [61] (Gls eligible for protection as trademarks)] geographical indications may be protected through a trademark or sui generis system or other legal means.
Article QQ.D.2: Where a Party provides administrative procedures for the protection or recognition of geographical indications, through a system of trademarks or a sui generis system, the Party shall with respect to applications for such protection or petitions for such recognition:
(a) accept those applications or petitions without requiring intercession by a Party on behalf of its nationals [62] ;
(b) process those applications or petitions without imposition of overly burdensome formalities;
(c) ensure that its regulations governing the filing of those applications or petitions are readily available to the public and clearly set out the procedures for these actions;
(d) make available information sufficient to allow the general public to obtain guidance concerning the procedures for filing applications or petitions and the processing of those applications or petitions in general; and allow applicants, petitioners, or their representatives to ascertain the status of specific applications and petitions;
(e) ensure that those applications or petitions are published for opposition and provide procedures for opposing geographical indications that are the subject of applications or petitions; and
(f) provide for cancellation, annulment, or revocation of the protection or recognition afforded to a geographical indication [63]
Article QQ.D.3: Each Party shall, whether protection or recognition is provided to a geographical indication through [SG/CA/MY oppose: its domestic measures] [SG/CA/MY propose: the system referred to in article QQ.D.2] [CL/PE/MY/SG/VN/BN/CA/MX oppose [64]: or pursuant to an agreement with another government or government entity], provide a process that allows interested persons to object to the protection or recognition of a geographical indication, [CA oppose: and for protection or recognition to be [65] refused annulled [66] or, [AU propose: where appropriate,] cancelled] [MY/VN/SG/MX oppose [67]: , at least on the following grounds:
(i) the geographical indication is likely to cause confusion with a trademark or geographical indication that is the subject of a preexisting good faith pending application or registration in the territory of such Party[ [68] ];
(ii) [BN oppose: the geographical indication is likely to cause confusion with a pre-existing trademark or geographical indication, the rights to which have been acquired in accordance with the Party's law[ [69] ];] and
(iii) the geographical indication is a term customary in common language as the common name for such goods or services in that Party's territory.]]
Article QQ.D.4: [US propose; [70] CL/PE/NZ/AU/SG/MY/MX/CA/BN/VN oppose: No Party shall, whether pursuant to an agreement with a government or a governmental entity or otherwise:
(a) in the case of geographical indications for goods other than wines or spirits, prohibit third parties from using or registering translated versions of the geographical indication;[ [71] ] or
(b) prohibit third parties from using a term that is evoked by the geographical indication.]
Article QQ.D.5: [NZ/AU/BN/US propose; [72] VN/PE/SG/CL/MY/CA/MX oppose: A Party may provide the means to protect a geographical indication against use in translation by third parties only if such use would, with respect to a geographical indication for goods other than wines and spirits:
(a) give rise to a likelihood of confusion with a prior trademark or geographical indication in the territory of that Party;
(b) mislead the public as to the geographical origin of the good; or
(c) constitute an act of unfair competition within the meaning of Article 10bis of the Paris Convention (1967).
Article QQ.D.6: [US/NZ/AU/CL/SG propose; [73] MX/VN/PE/MY oppose: If a Party grants protection or recognition to a geographical indication through the systems described in Article QQ.D.2 or through an agreement with another government or government entity, such protection or recognition shall commence no earlier than [CL oppose: (i) the filing date in the Party[ [74] ],] (ii) the date on which such agreement enters into force, or (iii) if a Party implements such protection or recognition on a date after entry into force of the agreement, on that later date [75] .]
Article QQ.D.7: [NZ/AU/US propose; [76] PE/CL/VN/SG/MY/BN/CA/MX oppose:
No Party shall preclude the possibility that a term that it recognized as a trademark or geographical indication may become a term customary in the common language as the common name for the associated goods or services.]
Article QQ.D.8: [CL/PE/AU/US/NZ/MX/CA/VN/JP propose [77] ; BN oppose: In determining whether a term is the term customary in the common language as the common name for the relevant goods or services in a Party's territory, a Party's authorities shall have the authority to take into account how consumers understand the term in that Party's territory. Factors relevant to such consumer understanding may include [SG/CL/PE/MX/VN propose: if appropriate]:
(a) whether the term is used to refer to the type of product in question, as indicated by competent sources such as dictionaries, newspapers, and relevant websites;
(b) how the product referenced by the term is marketed and used in trade in the territory of that Party; and
(c) [CL/PE/MX/CA oppose [78] : whether the term is used in relevant international standards to refer to a class or type of product].]
Article QQ.D.9: [NZ/AU/US/VN/BN/CL propose [79] ; PE/MY/MX oppose: An individual component of a multi-component term that is protected as a geographical indication in a Party shall remain available for the public to use in that Party if the individual component is a term customary in the common language as the common name for the associated goods.]
[SG propose [80] : For greater certainty, nothing in this section shall require a Party to apply its provisions in respect of any individual component contained in a GI for which that individual component is identical with the term customary in common language as the common name of such goods in the territory of that Party.]
Article QQ.D.10: [US propose; [81] AU/CL/SG/PE/MY/NZ/BN/VN/MX/CA oppose: The existence of a geographical indication shall not be a ground upon which a Party may:
(a) refuse a trademark owner's otherwise permissible request to renew the registration of its trademark; or
(b) refuse a trademark owner's request to register an otherwise permissible modification of its registered trademark.]
Article QQ.D.11: [CL/SG/BN/VN/MX propose [82] ; AU/PE/US/NZ/CA/JP oppose:
List of Geographical Indications
The terms listed in Annex […] are recognized as geographical indications of the respective Party, within the meaning of paragraph 1 of Article 22 of the TRIPS Agreement. Subject to domestic laws [ [83] ], in a manner that is consistent with the TRIPS Agreement, such terms will be protected as geographical indications in the territories of the other Parties.]
Article QQ.D.12: {Homonymous Geographical Indications}
[NZ/CL/VN/MY/BN/SG/MX propose [84] ; PE/US/AU oppose: 1. Each Party may provide protection to homonymous geographical indications. Where a Party provides protection to homonymous geographical indications, that Party may, where necessary, lay down the practical conditions of use to make a distinction between the homonymous geographical indications, taking into account the need to ensure equitable treatment of the producers concerned and that consumers are not misled.]
[CL propose; AU/US/PE/NZ/VN/SG/MY/BN/MX/CA/JP oppose: 2. The Parties recognize the geographical indication Pisco for the exclusive use for products from Chile and Peru.]
[CL/SG/BN/MX propose; AU/PE/US/NZ/CA/JP oppose:
Annex […] Lists of Geographical Indications]
Article QQ.D.13: {Country Names}
[CL/AU/NZ/SG/BN/VN/MY/PE/CA/MX/JP propose [85] : The Parties shall provide the legal means for interested parties to prevent commercial use of country names of the Parties in relation to goods in a manner which misleads consumers as to the origin of such goods.]
Article QQ.D.14: [US propose [86]; CL/PE/VN/MY/CA oppose: Each Party shall permit the use, and as appropriate, allow the registration, of signs or indications that identify goods other than wines or spirits, and that reference a geographical area that is not the place of origin of the goods, unless such use is misleading, would constitute an act of unfair competition, or would cause a likelihood of confusion with a prior trademark or geographical indication that identifies the same or similar goods. The foregoing shall not be understood to prevent a Party from denying registration of such a sign or indication on other grounds, provided such denial does not derogate from the provisions of the Paris Convention and the TRIPS Agreement.]
{PATENTS/ UNDISCLOSED TEST OR OTHER DATA/ TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE}
{Section E: Patents / Undisclosed Test or Other Data / Traditional Knowledge}
Article QQ.E.1: {Patents / Patentable Subject matter}
1. Subject to the provisions of paragraph 2 and 3, each Party shall make patents available for any invention, whether a product or process, in all fields of technology, provided that the invention is new, involves an inventive step, and is capable of industrial application. [87] [US/AU propose; [88] CL/MY/PE/SG/VN/BN/NZ/CA/MX oppose: The Parties confirm that:
(a) patents shall be available for any new uses or methods of using a known product],
[US/JP propose; CL/MY/PE/SG/VN/BN/AU/NZ/CA/MX oppose: (b) a Party may not deny a patent solely on the basis that the product did not result in enhanced efficacy of the known product when the applicant has set forth distinguishing features establishing that the invention is new, involves an inventive step, and is capable of industrial application.]
2. Each Party may exclude from patentability inventions, the prevention within their territory of the commercial exploitation of which is necessary to protect ordre public or morality, including to protect human, animal or plant life or health or to avoid serious prejudice to nature or the environment, provided that such exclusion is not made merely because the exploitation is prohibited by their law.
3. [US: Consistent with paragraph 1] each Party [US propose; AU/NZ/VN/BN/CL/PE/MY/SG/CA/MX oppose: shall make patents available for inventions for the following] [NZ/CL/PE/MY/AU/VN/BN/SG/CA/MX propose: may also exclude from patentability]:
(a) plants and animals, [NZ/CL/PE/MY/AU/VN/BN/SG/CA/MX propose: other than microorganisms];
[JP oppose: (b) diagnostic, therapeutic, and surgical methods for the treatment of humans or animals [US propose; AU/SG/MY/NZ/CL/PE/VN/BN/CA/MX oppose: if they cover a method of using a machine, manufacture, or composition of matter]; [NZ/CL/PE/MY/AU/VN/BN/SG/CA/MX propose:] and
(c) essentially biological processes for the production of plants or animals, other than non-biological and microbiological processes for such production.]
[MX propose: (d) and the diagrams, plans, rules and methods for carrying out mental processes, playing games or doing business, and mathematical methods as such; software as such; methods to present information as such; and aesthetic creations and artistic or literary works.]
[NZ/CA/SG/CL/MY propose: ALT 3. Each Party may also exclude from patentability:
(a) diagnostic, therapeutic and surgical methods for the treatment of humans or animals; and
(b) plants and animals other than microorganisms, and essentially biological processes for the production of plants or animals other than nonbiological and microbiological processes. However, Parties shall provide for the protection of plant varieties either by patents or by an effective sui generis system or by any combination thereof.]
Article QQ.E.2: {Patentable Subject Matter}
Each Party shall [89] disregard at least information contained in public disclosures used to determine if an invention is novel or has an inventive step if the public disclosure[ [90] ] [ [91] ] [92] :
(a) was made by the patent applicant or by a person who obtained the information directly or indirectly from the patent applicant,
and
(b) occurred within 12 months prior to the date of filing of the application in the territory of the Party.
Article QQ.E.3: [US: Without prejudice to Article 5A (3) of the Paris Convention,] Each Party shall provide that a patent may be cancelled, revoked or nullified only on grounds that would have justified a refusal to grant the patent. A Party may also provide that fraud, misrepresentation, or inequitable conduct may be the basis for cancelling, revoking, or nullifying a patent or holding a patent unenforceable. [AU/CL/MY/NZ/BN/CA/MX/VN propose [93]; US/JP oppose: A Party may also provide that a patent may be cancelled, revoked or nullified on the basis that the patent is used in a manner determined to be anti-competitive in a judicial [VZ/CA/MX propose: or administrative] proceeding] [AU/CL/CA/MX propose: US oppose; consistent with Article 5A(3) of the Paris Convention.]
Article QQ.E.4: [94]
Article QQ.E.4: {Opposition to Grant of Patent}
[NZ/CA/SG/CL/MY propose: Each Party shall provide a procedure for third persons to oppose the grant of a patent, either before or after the grant of a patent, or both.]
Article QQ.E.5: {Exceptions}
Each Party may provide limited exceptions to the exclusive rights conferred by a patent, provided that such exceptions do not unreasonably conflict with a normal exploitation of the patent and do not unreasonably prejudice the legitimate interests of the patent owner, taking into account the legitimate interests of third parties.
Article QQ.E.5bis: {Regulatory Review Exception}
[NZ/CA/SG/CL/MY propose: Consistent with [Article QQ.E.5 (Exceptions)], each Party may provide that a third person may do an act that would otherwise infringe a patent if the act is done for purposes connected with the collection and submission of data in order to comply with the regulatory requirements of that Party or another country, including for purposes connected with marketing or sanitary approval.]
Article QQ.E.5ter: {Experimental Use of a Patent}
[NZ/CA/SG/CL/MY propose: 1. Consistent with [Article QQ.E.5 (Exceptions) ], each Party may provide that a third person may do an act that would otherwise infringe a patent if the act is done for experimental purposes relating to the subject matter of a patented invention.
2. For the purposes of this Article, experimental purposes may include, but need not be limited to, determining how the invention works, determining the scope of the invention, determining the validity of the claims, or seeking an improvement of the invention (for example, determining new properties, or new uses, of the invention).]
Article QQ.E.5quater: {Other Use Without Authorisation of the Right Holder}
[NZ/CA/SG/CL/MY propose: Nothing in this Chapter shall limit a Party's rights and obligations under Article 31 of the TRIPS Agreement or any amendment thereto.]
Article QQ.E.6: {Patent filing}
1 Each Party shall provide that where an invention is made independently by more than one inventor, and separate applications claiming that invention are filed with or for the relevant authority of the Party, any patent granted for the claimed invention shall be granted on the application [US/VN/MX propose; AU/NZ/CL/MY/CA/PE oppose: which has been found to be patentable and] which has the earliest filing or, if applicable, priority date [AU/NZ/PE/BN/CL/CA [95] propose; [96] US/VN/MY/MX/SG oppose: and which is published].[US: [97] ]
Article QQ.E.7: Each Party shall provide patent applicants with at least one opportunity to make amendments, corrections, and observations in connection with their applications [98] .
Article QQ.E.8: [US/AU/PE/VN propose; [99] CL/MY/BN/NZ/CA/SG/MX [100] oppose: Each Party shall provide that a disclosure of a claimed invention shall be considered to be sufficiently clear and complete if it provides information that allows the invention to be made and used by a person skilled in the art, without undue experimentation, as of the filing date.]
Article QQ.E.9: [US/PE/AU propose; [101] CL/VN/MY/BN/NZ/CA/SG/MX oppose: Each Party shall provide that a claimed invention [AU oppose: is] [AU propose: shall be] sufficiently supported by its disclosure [AU oppose: if the disclosure reasonably conveys to a person skilled in the art that the applicant was in possession of the claimed invention] as of the filing date.]
Article QQ.E.10: [US/AU/MX propose; [102] SG/CL/MY/VN/PE/BN/NZ/CA oppose: Each Party shall provide that a claimed invention is [US/AU propose: useful] [MX propose: industrially applicable] if it has a specific [MX propose: and], substantial, [MX oppose: and credible] utility.]
Article QQ.E.11: {Publication of Patent Applications}
[AU/PE/NZ/MY/CL/VN/US/CA/MX/JP: 1. Each Party shall publish [US/MX oppose: or make available for public inspection] any patent application promptly after the expiry of 18 months from its filing date or, if priority is claimed, from its priority date, unless the application has been published earlier or has been withdrawn, abandoned or refused [CA propose: , without leaving any rights outstanding].] [103]
[AU/PE/NZ/CL/VN/CA/MX propose; MY oppose: 2. Each Party shall provide that an applicant may request the early publication of an application prior to the expiry of the period mentioned above.]
Article QQ.E.12: [US/AU [104]/CA/SG/PE/CL/NZ/JP propose; MY/BN/VN/MX oppose: For published [105] patent applications and issued patents, each Party shall make available to the public [US/PE/CA propose: at least] the following information: submitted [US/SG/PE propose: to that Party's competent authorities] in accordance with [US/SG/PE propose: their] requirements [US/SG/PE oppose: of the Party's competent authorities] [AU/CA/CL propose: in their possession] [US/SG/PE propose: and] in connection with the prosecution of such patent applications and patents:
(a) search and examination results, [JP oppose: including any relevant prior art search histories];
(b) [SG/PE/CL/US/NZ/AU/JP propose: non confidential]106 communications from applicants; and
c) patent and non-patent related literature citations submitted by applicants, and relevant third parties.]
Article QQ.E.X: {Exhaustion of Rights}
[CL propose: The Parties are encouraged to establish international exhaustion of patent rights. For this purpose, the registration of a patent shall not entitle its holder to prevent third parties from making, using, offering for sale, selling or importing a product protected by that patent, which has been put in the market in any country by the patent holder or with his consent.]
Article QQ.E.XX
[US propose; CA/NZ/JP oppose: Each Party, at the request of the patent owner, shall adjust the term of a patent to compensate for unreasonable delays that occur in the granting of the patent. For purposes of this subparagraph, an unreasonable delay at least shall include a delay in the issuance of the patent of more than four years from the date of filing of the application in the territory of the Party, or two years after a request for examination of the application has been made, whichever is later. Periods attributable to actions of the patent applicant need not be included in the determination of such delays. Any patent term adjustment under this article shall confer all of the exclusive rights of a patent subject to the same limitations and exceptions that would otherwise apply to the patent absent any adjustment of the patent term.]
Article QQ.E.13 [107] [108] : {Exceptions / Regulatory Review Exception}
[US/NZ/PE/CA/MX/JP propose: Consistent with paragraph [QQ.E.5] (patent exceptions and limitations), each Party shall permit] [CL/SG/MY/AU/VN/BN propose: Where a Party permits] a third person to use the subject matter of a subsisting patent to [US/NZ/PE/AU/MX/VN/BN/JP] propose: generate information necessary to] support an application for [AU/CA/MX/VN/BN propose: regulatory or] marketing approval [CL/NZ/PE/SG/MY/AU/CA/MX/VN/BN propose: or sanitary permit] of a [AU/CA/VN/BN oppose: pharmaceutical] product [PE propose: or agricultural chemical product], [US/NZ/PE/SG/MY/MX/JP propose: and shall further] [CL/AU/CA/VN/BN propose: that Party may also] provide that any product produced under such authority [CL/AU/CA/VN/BN propose: may be] [US/NZ/PE/SG/MY/MX/JP propose: shall not be] made, [CA propose: constructed,] [CL/PE/VN/BN propose: offered for sale], [PE/VN/BN propose: imported,] used, or sold in its territory [US/NZ/PE/SG/MY/MX/JP propose: other than] for purposes related to [US/NZ/PE/AU/MX/VN/BN/JP propose: generating such information to support an application for] meeting [AU/CA/MX/VN/BN propose: regulatory or] marketing approval [CL/NZ/PE/SG/MY/AU/CA/MX/VN/BN propose: or sanitary permit] requirements of that Party [NZ/SG/MY/AU/CA/MX/CL/VN/BN propose: or another country].
[US/SG/MY/PE/MX/CL propose; [109] NZ/AU/CA/VN/BN oppose: If the Party permits exportation of such a product, the Party shall provide that the product shall only]] [NZ/CA/BN propose: Each Party shall permit a product to] [AU/VN propose: Each Party may permit such a product to] be exported outside its territory [US/NZ/PE/AU/MX/VN/BN propose: for purposes of generating information] to support an application for meeting [AU/CA/MX/VN/BN propose: regulatory or] marketing approval [CL/NZ/SG/MY/PE/AU/CA/MX/VN/BN propose: or sanitary approval] requirements of that Party [CL/NZ/SG/MY/AU/CA/MX/VN/BN propose: or another country].
Article QQ.E.14: [US propose; [110] AU/NZ/CL/PE/MY/SG/BN/VN/CA/MX oppose: 6.
(a) Each Party shall make best efforts to process patent applications and marketing approval applications expeditiously with a view to avoiding unreasonable or unnecessary delays.
(c) Each Party, at the request of the patent owner, shall make available an adjustment of the patent term of a patent which covers a new pharmaceutical product [111] or a patent that covers a method of making or using a pharmaceutical product, to compensate the patent owner of unreasonable curtailment of the effective patent term as a result of the marketing approval process.
(d) In implementing subparagraph 6(c), a Party may:
(i) limit the applicability of subparagraph 6(c) to a single patent term adjustment for each new pharmaceutical product that is being reviewed for marketing approval;
(ii) require the basis for the adjustment to be the first marketing approval granted to the pharmaceutical product in that Party; and
(iii) limit the period of the adjustment to no more than 5 years.
(e) In implementing subparagraph 6(c), and as a condition for providing the adjustment set forth in subparagraph 6(c) for a new pharmaceutical product approved consistent with Article 9.2(b) or Article 9.2(d), a Party may require an applicant that has submitted an application for marketing approval consistent with Article 9.2(b) or Article 9.2(d) to commence the process of obtaining marketing approval for that new pharmaceutical product in the Party within [X] years of the date of the first marketing approval of the same pharmaceutical product in another Party. [112]
(f) Any adjustment under subparagraph 6(c) shall confer all of the exclusive rights, subject to the same limitations and exceptions, of the patent claims of the product, its method of use, or its method of manufacture in the originally issued patent as applicable to the product and the approved method of use of the product.]] ]