外国投资者并购境内企业规定

RecentevolutionsonIPRinChinaShiJiayou(AssociateProfessorinRenminUniversityofChina,PhDofParisIandofRenminUniversity)ChinaSymposium,Singapore,Jan.302008Chinesecourtshandle52,437IPRcasesduringfiveyearsChinesecourtsatalllevelsheard54,321andconcluded52,437casesofcivillawsuitsconcerningIPRatfirstinstancefrom2002to2006.Con’tInlinewiththeprinciplesofcomprehensiveIPRinfringementcompensation,courtsatalllevelshavebeengraduallyincreasingtheamountofcompensation.Foreign-relatedcasesDuringtheyearsfrom2002to2006,China'scourtshavesettled931foreign-relatedIPRcases,withanaverageannualincreaseof48.29%.Con’tCon’tProvisionsforForeignInvestorstoMergeandAcquireDomesticEnterprises(M&ARules)《外国投资者并购境内企业规定》8August,2006promulgatedbysixministriesThenewM&ARules,whichtakeseffectonSeptember8,2006,replacetheoldM&ArulesinChinathatwerepromulgatedin12,2003(InterimProvisionsforForeignInvestorstoMergeandAcquireDomesticEnterprises)Article12(IP)Whereaforeigninvestorintendstoobtaintheactualcontrollingpowerofadomesticenterpriseitplanstotakeover,andifanyimportantindustryisconcerned,orifithasanimpactonormayhaveanimpactonthenationaleconomicsecurity,oritwillleadtothetransferoftheactualcontrollingpowerofadomesticenterprisewhichholdswell-knowntrademarkorahistoricChinesebrandname,thepartiesconcernedshallfileanapplicationwiththeMinistryofCommerce.Ifthepartiesconcernedfailtodoso,whileitstakeoverhashadormayhaveaseriousimpactonthenationaleconomicsecurity,theMinistryofCommercemay,jointlywiththerelevantdepartments,demandthepartiesconcernedtoterminatethetransactionortransfertherelevantequities/assetsortakeothereffectivemeasurestoeliminatethetakeover’simpactonthenationaleconomicsecurity.QuestionsImportantIndustry:sensitiveindustry?(List?Orcatalogueofindustries)Nationaleconomicsecurity:appreciationMOFCOM/Localgovernment:poweroflastsayWell-knowntrademark:morethan800(2006)AhistoricChinesebrandname(中华老字号企业):morethan2,000:procedureofqualification?TrademarkLaw(revisedin2001)Article14Accountshallbetakenofthefollowingfactorsinestablishmentofawell-knowntrademark:􀀃􀀃􀀃􀀃􀀃􀀃􀀃􀀃􀀃􀀃􀀃􀀃􀀃􀀃􀀃􀀃􀀃􀀃(l)reputationofthemarktotherelevantpublic;􀀃(2)timeforcontinuoususeofthemark;􀀃(3)consecutivetime,extentandgeographicalareaofadvertisementofthemark;(4)recordsofprotectionofthemarkasawell-knownmark;(5)anyotherfactorsrelevanttothereputationofthemark.􀀃􀀃􀀃􀀃􀀃􀀃􀀃􀀃􀀃􀀃􀀃􀀃􀀃􀀃􀀃􀀃􀀃􀀃􀀃􀀃JudicialinterpretationsSince2001,theSupremeCourthasreviewedandamended18judicialinterpretations,whichinvolvepatents,trademarks,copyrights,newplantvarieties,integratedcircuitdesign,technicalcontracts,unfaircompetition,computernetworkdomainnames,intellectualpropertycrime,pre-trialprovisionalmeasures,IPRpropertypreservationmeasures,casejurisdictionandtrialdivision.InterpretationonSomeIssuesConcerningtheApplicationofLawintheTrialofCivilCasesInvolvingUnfairCompetition(2007)《最高人民法院关于审理不正当竞争民事案件应用法律若干问题的解释》TheinterpretationonSomeIssuesConcerningtheApplicationofLawintheTrialofCivilCasesInvolvingUnfairCompetitionhasbeenpromulgatedbytheSupremePeople’sCourtonJanuary12,2007andcomeintoforceasofFebruary1,2007.“well-knowncommodities”Commoditiesshallnotbeaffirmedas“well-known”,providedthattheyareonlyfamousoutsidetheterritorybutnotwithintheterritoryofChina.enterprisenameorpersonalnameThenameofenterpriseorpersonalnamewhichshallbeprotectedaccordingtolawhasbeenextendedtothebusinessnameofanenterpriseorthepennameorstagenameofanynaturalperson.TradesecretsInterpretationprovidesthatthenamelistofcustomersamongtradesecretsshallgenerallyrefertothename,address,contactinformation,tradinghabits,tradingintent,andtradingcontentsofcustomersthatconsistofthespecificclientinformationdifferentfromrelevantpublicinformation.TradeSecretUnavailabilitytothePublic􀀃--CommercialValueandPracticalApplicability--ConfidentialityMeasuresReverseengineeringInaccordancewithInterpretation,itislegitimateformanagerstoobtainbusinesssecretsbywayofreverseengineering.Nevertheless,itstressesthatreverseengineeringwillnotbeagooddefenseforatradesecretinfringementclaimwherethetradesecrethasbeenobtainedinanirregularwaybefore.CivilliabilitiesRemediesforInfringementofTradeSecretTheremediesforinfringementoftradesecretundertheInterpretationincludeinjunctivereliefanddamages.InjunctiveReliefDamages(i)lostprofitsincurredbythetradesecretownerduetosuchinfringement;or(ii)unjustbenefitobtainedbythedefendantduringsuchinfringement;or(iii)reasonableroyaltywhereneitherlostprofitsnorunjustbenefitorsomecombinationofthetworemediesareapplicable;or(iv)commercialvalueofsuchtradesecretwherethetradesecrethasbeenknowntothepublicduetosuchinfringement.JurisdictionAccordingtotheInterpretation,ingeneraltheintermediatecourtshavejurisdictionoveranyunfaircompetitionclaims.LaborContractLawof2007Thislawcontainsprovisionstoregulatebothemployersandemployeesontradesecretsandintellectualpropertyconfidentialityrelatedissues.LaborContractLawArticle23Employersandemployeesmayincludetermsintheirlaborcontractrelatingtotheconfidentialityofbusinesssecretsandintellectualp