Research Paper’s Provisional framework of table of contents, hypothesis and bibliography

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

2. Hypothesis and Methodology

2.1 Hypothesis
China’s alleged non-compliance with TRIPS can be viewed from different angles. One can zoom in on individual Chinese IPR provisions to see whether they violate TRIPS (frog’s perspective). Or one can base its allegation on China’s general lack to ensure procedures that permit effective enforcement of IPR, which article 41 (1) TRIPS prescribes. The hypothesis that will be tested here is, whether fixing the non-compliant provisions are sufficient to overcome the “rampant” IPR infringements in China, or whether a more holistic approach to reform China’s IPR system, although more difficult, is needed.

2.4 Methodology
Since November 2005 the author has started a weblog called IP Dragon that gathers, comments and shares information about IPR in China, to make this field of law more transparent. After three hundred postings IP Dragon has cumulated relevant case law, laws and regulations and received interesting feedback from experts in the field. Mindful of the open source movement, during and after the process of writing, this thesis will be put online, which is an invitation to criticise the assertions made and to come up with dissenting opinions.
The hypothesis is tested by looking at the non-compliance with TRIPS at two levels. First an inventory of the violations of individual TRIPS provisions will be made. After that China’s channels of IPR enforcement will be scrutinized, the strengths and weaknesses analysed and aspects identified that can be seen as obstacles to an effective enforcement.

3. Violations of specific TRIPS provisions (frog’s perspective)

3.1 TRIPS scope
3.2 Violations of China’s IPR provisions

4. Violations of effective enforcement in general (holistic perspective)

4.1. Administrative enforcement
4.1.1 Copyright Administrations
4.1.2. Administrative for Industry and Commerce
4.1.3. State Intellectual Property Office
4.1.3. Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine
4.1.4. General Administration of Customs
4.1.5. Use of courts outside China

4.2. Criminal law enforcement
4.3. Civil law enforcement

5. Conclusion

Literature

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Blasek, Katrin, ‘The Protection of Well-Known Trademarks Following China’s Accession to the WTO’, IIC, volume 36, issue 3, 2005, pp. 279-388.

Bottenschein, Florian, ‘Die Bekämpfung der Markenpiraterie in der Volksrepublik China und Hongkong’, GRUR Int. 2005, issue 2, 2005, pp. 121-126.

Gervais, Daniel, ‘The TRIPS agreement: drafting history and analysis’, Second edition, London, Sweet & Maxwell, 2003, pp. 285-289, 327.

Green, Nathan, ‘Enforceability of the People’s Republic of China’s Trade Secret Law: Impact on Technology Transfer in the PRC and Preparing for Successful Licensing’, IDEA, volume 44, issue 3, 2004, pp. 437-467.

Guo, Shoukang, ‘TRIPS and Intellectual Property Protection in the People’s Republic of China’, GRUR Int.; volume 45: issue 4 ( 1996), pp. 292-295.

Guo, Shoukang, ‘Schutz von Urheberrechten im Cyberspace – Neueste Entwicklungen in der Volksrepublik China’, GRUR Int.; volume 46: issue 12 (2001), pp. 1011-1015.

Hays, Thomas, Zhang Yun, ‘New Amendments to the Copyright Law of the People’s Republic of China’, EIPR, issue 6, 2002, pp. 301-312.

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Li Xiangsheng, ‘Waiting for Supplements: Comments on China’s Copyright Law’, EIPR, issue 5, 1991, pp. 171-177.

Li, Yonghong, ‘From Patent Hearings Based on Experts’ Reports to a Rearrangement of the Re-Exemantion and Appeal System in China’, IIC, volume 31, issue 3, 2004, pp. 242-250.

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Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=578584

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Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=491444

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Zheng Chengsi, ‘Looking into the Revision of the Trade Mark and Copyright Laws from the Perspective of China’s Accession to WTO’, EIPR, issue 6, 2002, pp. 313-323.

Relevant case law mentioned at ipdragon.blogspot.com will be made explicit in the following versions.