Intellectual property rights infringement on the internet: an analysis of the private international law implications
The topic “Intellectual Property Rights Infringement on the Internet: An Analysis of the Private International Law Implications” has become increasingly important as the Internet has revolutionized the traditional understanding of the rules of private international law which govern the determination of jurisdiction in the case of intellectual property rights infringement over the Internet. The private international law of intellectual property has until recently been both straightforward and based on traditions, geographical boundaries and physical space. However, the ubiquitous nature of the Internet has brought new challenges in the area of the private international law of intellectual property, which lawmakers, judges and lawyers have to deal with. In particular, the private international law of intellectual property needs somehow address the fact that many of the actions and effects of intellectual property rights infringement within the territory of a particular Member State will not actually have physically taken place there. For example, material protected by intellectual property law can be uploaded in one state, downloaded in another, and viewed in a large number of other states. This means that the intellectual property rights infringers and the owners of intellectual property rights are often miles apart, while the infringers might never have set foot in the country or region where the harm occurs. Moreover, damage is typically suffered in multiple states simultaneously. Therefore, the question of which national authorities have jurisdiction over matters theoretically located in cyberspace is the first point of interest for every intellectual property rights owner whose rights are infringed over the Internet. Thus, the main aim of this work is to identify the problems and provide jurisdictional solutions with regard to the application of the existing jurisdictional rules according to the Council Regulation 1215/2012 on Jurisdiction and the Recognition and Enforcement of Judgments in Civil and Commercial Matters in the case of intellectual property rights infringement over the Internet. For without clear and effective jurisdictional rules of intellectual property rights infringement over the Internet, the internal market cannot function properly.
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