Abstract
Before discussing the harmonisation of unfair competition law within the EU we must first ask whether any international provisions exist, and if so what these are. As a rule Community law is subject to international law requirements.1 Nor should one forget that harmonisation of unfair competition law within Europe can still only constitute the second-best solution. Competition crosses borders not only in Europe but throughout the world, as reflected in the words globalisation and internet, to take but two examples. The aim, and the desirable aim, is therefore beyond doubt a global fair-play standard in competition.
On the relationship between Community Law and TRIPS, see for instance the decisions of the ECJ dated June 16, 1988, Case C-53/96, 1998 ECR I-3603 — Hèrmes and December 14, 2000, Case C-300/98 — Dior, and the Havanna-decision (note 13).
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References
On the PC, see for instance Bodenhausen, “Guide to the Application of the Paris Convention of Industrial Property” (1968) and Ladas, “The International Protection of Industrial Property” (1975); Wadlow, “The International Law of Unfair Competition: the British Origins of Article 10bis of the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property,” Oxford Intellectual Property Research Centre Working Paper Series No. 4 February 2003, <www.oiprc.ox.ac.uk/EJWP043.html>.
In many European countries, unfair competition protection derived from Art. 10bis of the PC. An example is Belgium, where the protection was initially granted directly on the basis of this provision, then it was adopted almost word for word in the first (criminal law) regulations and subsequently extended until it led to the present very broad “Trade Practices Act” of 1991, which also serves consumer protection. See also the contribution of Prof Stuyck in this book.
Wadlow, supra note 2.
For instance, the ECJ does not include unfair competition law within “intellectual property”, see ECJ, June 17, 1981, Case C-113/80, 1981 ECR I-01625.
See for details the literature cited supra note 2; in addition Henning-Bodewig, 30 IIC 166 (1999); Henning-Bodewig, “Unfair Competition Law — European Union and Member States” 17 et seq. (2006).
See the literature cited supra note 2.
Schricker, “Großkommentar UWG”, Introduction, points F 101 et seq. (1994).
On the purpose of protection of unfair competition law in the 25 EU states, see the country reports in Henning-Bodewig, supra note 7 (2006).
On the TRIPS Agreement, cf., e.g. Chasen Ross, in: Steward (ed.), “The GATT Uruguay Round” 2245 et seq., Vol. 2 (1993); Blakeney, “Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights: A Concise guide to the TRIPS Agreement” (1996); Staehelin, “Das TRIPs-Abkommen” (1997); Gervais, “The TRIPS Agreement: Drafting History and Analysis” (2nd ed. 2003); Reger, “Der internationale Schutz gegen unlauteren Wettbewerb und das TRIPSAbkommen” (1999); Mankowski, 2001 GRUR Int. 100.
Schricker, supra note 9.
For an in-depth discussion see Reger, supra note 11 and the “Havanna Club” case, which concerned the protection of a trade name; Panel Report, US-Section 211 Omnibus Appropriations Act of 1998 of August 6, 2001 and February 22, 2002.
ECJ, December 14, 2000, joined cases C-300/98 und C-392/98, 2000 ECR I-11307 — Dior und Assco.
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Henning-Bodewig, F. (2007). International Unfair Competition Law. In: Hilty, R.M., Henning-Bodewig, F. (eds) Law Against Unfair Competition. MPI Studies on Intellectual Property, Competition and Tax Law, vol 1. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-71882-6_2
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