Taiwan IP News
An original film has intellectual property rights, even if they are pornographic!
A group of Japanese film makers who specialized in the production of pornographic materials has engaged a Taiwanese lawyer to press for the protection of their films in Taiwan. It is known that in Taiwan, no intellectual property rights is accorded to items that are deemed obscene and the Taipei government therefore does not prosecute Taiwanese Medias for airing such films. The lawyer argued that intellectual properties, whether it is considered obscene or not, should be treated fairly and has questioned television and phone companies for purveying the films to paying customers. Meanwhile, Director-General of Intellectual Property Office under the Ministry of Economic Affairs in Taiwan, Wang Mei-hua agreed that all forms of intellectual property should be accorded rights.
April 20, 2010.
ECFA and the significance of China Taiwan relationship
According to Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou, the cross-strait trade pact with China called Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) is only the first step towards ensuring that Taiwan will not loose out to its neighbors with regards to trade in China. He said signing the accord will path way for signing trade agreements with other East Asian economies. As it is, free trade agreements with other countries have been stalled because of the one China issue which forces other countries to take side. Taiwan which depends on trade is now at the loosing end. He also assured local traders that with the signing of the ECFA, there will not be more than the 1000 plus items of Chinese agricultural products that is allowed to enter Taiwan besides the barring of entry of Chinese labors.
April 23, 2010.
Cross Strait IPR Agreement
Taiwan and China signed an agreement on intellectual property rights (IPR) protection creating a mechanism for resolving IPR disputes arising from increasing cross strait disputes. The agreement was signed together with the economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) between China and Taiwan. However, the IPR agreement is a separate issue from the ECFA and will be enforced even if the ECFA were to be abrogated in a future date. Enforcement of the agreement will be handled by the Intellectual Property Office of Taiwan whereas for China, the State Administration for Industry and Commerce, the State Intellectual Property Office, and the State Copyright Bureau will oversea intellectual property disputes. Disputes on plant species will be handled by Taiwan’s Council of Agriculture and China’s State Forestry Administration and the Ministry of Agriculture.
July 5, 2010.