Frauke Henning-Bodewig

International Handbook on Unfair Competition Law

Table of Contents A) General 1 What is Unfair Competition? 2 International Protection Against Unfair Competition 3 Regional Protection Against Unfair Competition B) Country Reports 1 Australia 2 Austria 3 Brazil 4 Canada 5 China 6 France 7 Germany 8 Hungary 9 India 10 Italy 11 Japan 12 Lithuania 13 Netherlands 14 Poland 15 Spain 16 South Africa 17 Sweden 18 Switzerland 19 Turkey 20 UK 21 USA C) Outlook

TRIPS and Corporate Social Responsibility: Unethical Equals Unfair Business Practices?

The overall purpose of TRIPS is not only to further competition but also to further fair competition. This is, however, done rather indirectly through the implementation of IP rights and the determination of their scope and limitations. Apart from this, TRIPS does not monitor acts in trade and commerce under the aspect of commercial fairness. In particular, TRIPS does not deal with commercial practices in connection with the negative side effects of a globalized economy, which, for instance, outsources production to countries with laxer standards in the field of labour, environment, and human rights. If at all, this is regarded as the domain of Article 10bis of the Paris Convention, which expressly prohibits “any act contrary to honest practices in industrial or commercial matters”.

Vorwort und Einführung in die Thematik

Wirtschaftsethik ist eines der spannendsten Themen der letzten Jahre. Es beschaftigt nicht nur Okonomen und Politologen, sondern auch die Juristen und hier insbesondere die Wettbewerbsrechtler. Im Fokus steht dabei das Recht zur Bekampfung unlauteren Wettbewerbs, im deutschsprachigen Rechtskreis kurz auch Lauterkeitsrecht genannt. Es hat nicht nur in Deutschland grose praktische Bedeutung erlangt. Vielmehr kennen alle entwickelten Wirtschaftsnationen – wenn auch mit unterschiedlichem Ansatz und mit unterschiedlicher Bedeutung – eigenstandige Regeln zur Bekampfung unlauteren Wettbewerbs.

Was gehört zum Lauterkeitsrecht

Die Ausfuhrungen zum Thema „Was gehort zum Lauterkeitsrecht?“ sind nicht zu verwechseln mit dem Thema „Was sollte zum Europaischen Lauterkeitsrecht gehoren?“. Letzteres zu beantworten – d.h. zu erarbeiten, welcher Problemkreise sich das europaische Recht annehmen sollte (und welcher besser nicht) –, ist Gesamtthema dieser Tagung. Im Folgenden geht es also ausschlieslich um eine Bestandsaufnahme, namlich den Versuch einzugrenzen, was de facto zum Lauterkeitsrecht zahlt.

Secondary Unfair Competition Law

Despite the judicial practice of the ECJ in the field of unfair competition law as presented to us by Prof. Glockner, this judicial practice is unable to achieve genuine harmonisation. The ECJ can only identify infringements by national regulations (or their interpretation) against the fundamental freedoms of the EC Treaty. Even if this frequently leads indirectly to the contested regulation being adjusted to the standards of other Member States, this is only a de facto effect and cannot achieve a uniform standard of protection, in particular by raising the level of protection. This can only be achieved by means of Community Directives or Regulations.

International Unfair Competition Law

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.