Tag: <span>Legislation</span>

The (Draft) Amendment to the Patent Law of China

The Bill of The Amendment to the Patent Law of the People’s Republic of China
With the Current Provisions for Comparison

 

中国专利法修正案英译稿——与旧法条对照阅读

 
Dong Hao 
 
 
The Bill of The Amendment to the Patent Law of China has been published for  comments and suggestions by the National People’s Congress more than two months ago. I have reported this in a Chinese post and compared the amended provisions with the present ones. Actually I have translated the pending provisions roughly as follows. Hope this can be the first try in academia. Mistakes or defects are for sure existing, and your advices will be of course appreciated.
 
 

Links about German amended copyright act

IFFRRO News Vol. 10 No. 4 September 2007

http://www.ifrro.org/upload/documents/IFRRO%20News%20Vol10%20No4%20Sept%20Final.doc

 

Copyright Legislation

Germany – New Copyright Act

The new Act, including the “Second Basket” amendments, was approved on 21 September and will probably come in to force in 2008. The main changes are to the levy system:

The equipment levy applies to all devices which can be used to copy, whether alone or in conjunction with other devices. The levy will also apply to all mediums which can be used to copy on the same basis. All tariffs will in future have to be negotiated, and will no longer be set by law. Negotiated tariffs must not unreasonably harm the manufacturers or importers and must be in a reasonable relation to the sales price of the device or medium concerned. Other changes include:

·         Document delivery: the new law confirms that public libraries may supply copies to beneficiaries of the private and personal use exceptions by post or fax, but electronic delivery is restricted. Equitable remuneration is payable for document supply under the legal licence.

·         A new exception permits library users to access documents via dedicated terminals on library premises subject to the payment of equitable remuneration.

It will now be possible for authors to transfer the right of currently unknown forms of exploitation, subject to a right of revocation and the payment of equitable remuneration.

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各国版权法英文版(但其中的德国法是2003年版的)
http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/media/eucd_materials

Zohar Efroni: German Copyright Law Amended
http://cyberlaw.stanford.edu/node/5604

News: German parliament passes new Copyright Act
http://www.heise.de/english/newsticker/news/92318

巴德勒知识产权报道
http://www.bardehle.com/cn/ip_reports.html

License to Sing Finds no Legality in Chinese Law

双语日志:演员职业资格准入制度缺乏合法性基础
License to Sing Finds no Legality in Chinese Law

This is a bilingual (Chinese and English) entry, and its Chinese version conveys more detail information specificly to the provisions that it will be mentioned. While in the English version, all of my arguments and the basic illustrations are laid either.
这是一个双语日志,相对而言,中文部分比较详细地说明了法律规定的细节。不过,英文部分也已基本说明了论点和论据。

台湾:电脑网路內容分级处理办法

名  稱: 電腦網路內容分級處理辦法 (民國 94 年 10 月 17 日 修正)
第1條  本辦法依兒童及少年福利法第二十七條第三項規定訂定之。
 
第2條  本辦法用詞,定義如下:
一、電腦網路:指以聯機方式擷取網站資訊之開放式應用網際網路。
二、電腦網路服務提供者:指網際網路接取提供者、網際網路平臺提供者及網際網路內容提供者。
三、網際網路接取提供者:指以專線、撥接等方式提供網際網路聯機服務之業者。
四、網際網路平臺提供者 (以下簡稱平臺提供者) :指在網際網路上提供硬體之儲存空間、或利用網際網路建置網站提供資訊發佈及網頁連結服務功能者。
五、網際網路內容提供者 (以下簡稱內容提供者) :指實際提供網際網路網頁資訊內容者。
六、電腦網路分級服務機構:指受政府委託統籌網際網路內容分級運作之非營利性法人組織。
 論文
第3條  電腦網路內容不得違反法律強制或禁止規定。
 
第4條  電腦網路內容,有下列情形之一,有害兒童及少年身心發展者,列為限制級,未滿十八歲者不得流覽。
一、過當描述賭博、吸毒、販毒、搶劫、竊盜、綁架、殺人或其他犯罪行為者。
二、過當描述自殺過程者。
三、有恐怖、血腥、殘暴、變態等情節且表現方式強烈,一般成年人尚可接受者。
四、以動作、影像、語言、文字、對白、聲音、圖畫、攝影或其他形式描繪性行為、淫穢情節或裸露人體性器官,尚不致引起一般成年人羞恥或厭惡感者。
電腦網路內容非列為限制級者,仍宜視其內容,由父母、監護人或其他實際照顧兒童之人輔導流覽。
 
第5條  平臺提供者、內容提供者提供網路聊天室、討論區、貼圖區或其他類似之功能者,應標示是否設有管理員及適合進入流覽者之年齡。
 
第6條  電腦網路內容列為限制級者,應依下列規定標示:
一、內容提供者應於網站首頁或各該限制級網頁之電腦程式碼,依主管機關或其委託機構規定作標示。
二、內容提供者提供內容屬性主要為限制級者,應於網站首頁或各該限制級網頁標示限制級分級標識或「未滿十八歲者不得流覽」意旨之文字。
三、平臺提供者、內容提供者,提供內容屬性系部分涉及限制級者,得不為前款標示。但應於網站首頁或各該限制級網頁標示「本網站已依臺灣網站內容分級規定處理」意旨之文字。
限制級分級標識如附圖。
 
第7條  平臺提供者未限制未滿十八歲者流覽時,應提供分級服務輔助措施。其無法有效限制流覽者,亦同。
 
第8條  電腦網路服務提供者經政府機關或其委託之機構告知電腦網路內容違法或違反本辦法規定者,應為其他限制兒童及少年接取、流覽之措施,或先行移除。
 
第9條  政府應協助電腦網路分級服務機構,進行電腦網路內容觀察、分級標準辭彙之檢討、等級評定及申訴機制之建立。
政府主管機關應輔導或鼓勵電腦網路服務提供者建置電腦網路內容分級機制。
 
第10條  電腦網路服務提供者應自本辦法施行之日起十八個月內,完成電腦網路分級之相關準備措施,並進行分級。期限屆至前,應依臺灣網際網路協會訂定之網際網路服務業者自律公約,採用內容過濾或身分認證等措施機制,防制兒童或少年接取不良之資訊。
 
第11條  本辦法自發佈日施行。

Eng Trans of Copyright Law and Regulation of PRC

中国《著作权法》和《著作权法实施条例》英文版。随时要用,懒得找数据库,干脆Copy出来。

Copyright Law of People’s Republic of China

http://www.npc.gov.cn/englishnpc/Law/2007-12/12/content_1383888.htm

(Adopted at the 15th Meeting of the Standing Committee of the Seventh National People’s Congress on September 7, 1990 and promulgated by order No.31 of the President of the People’s Republic of China on September 7, 1990; amended according to the Decision on Amending the Copyright Law of the People’s Republic of China at the 24th Meeting of the Standing Committee of the Ninth National People’s Congress on October 27, 2001)

Contents

Chapter I General Provisions

Chapter II Copyright

Section 1 Copyright Owners and Their Rights

Section 2 Ownership of Copyright

Section 3 Term of Protection for the Rights

Section 4 Limitations on Rights

Chapter III Copyright Licensing and Transfer Contracts

Chapter IV Publication, Performance, Sound Recording, Video Recording and Broadcasting

Section 1 Publication of Books, Newspapers and Periodicals

Section 2 Performance

Section 3 Sound Recording and Video Recording

Section 4 Broadcasting by a Radio Station or Television Station

Chapter V Legal Liabilities and Enforcement Measures

Chapter VI Supplementary Provisions

Chapter I General Provisions

Article 1 This law is enacted, in accordance with the Constitution, for the purpose of protecting the copyright of authors in their literary, artistic and scientific works and the rights and interests related to copyright, encouraging the creation and dissemination of works conducive to the building of a socialist society that is advanced ethically and materially, and promoting the progress and flourishing of socialist culture and sciences.

Article 2 Chinese citizens, legal entities or other organizations shall, in accordance with this Law, enjoy the copyright in their works, whether published or not.

The copyright enjoyed by foreigners or stateless persons in any of their works under an agreement concluded between China and the country to which they belong or in which they have their habitual residences, or under an international treaty to which both countries are parties, shall be protected by this Law.

Foreigners and stateless persons whose works are first published in the territory of China shall enjoy the copyright in accordance with this Law.

Any work of an author of a country that has not concluded any agreement with China or that is not a party to any international treaty to which China is a party and any work of a stateless person, which is first published in a member country of an international treaty to which China is a party, or simultaneously published in a member country of the treaty and in a non-member country, shall be protected by this Law.

Article 3 For purposes of this law, the term "works" includes, among other things, works of literature, art, natural sciences, social sciences, engineering and technology, which are created in any of the following forms:

(1) written works;

(2) oral works;

(3) musical, dramatic, quyi, choreographic and acrobatic works;

(4) works of the fine arts and architecture;

(5) photographic works;

(6) cinematographic works and works created by a process analogous to cinematography;

(7) graphic works such as drawings of engineering designs and product designs, maps and sketches, and model works;

(8) computer software; and

(9) other works as provided for in laws and administrative regulations.

Article 4 Works the publication and dissemination of which are prohibited by law shall not be protected by this Law.

In exercising their copyright, no copyright owners may violate the Constitution or laws, nor may they impair public interests.

Article 5 This Law shall not be applicable to:

(1) laws and regulations, resolutions, decisions and orders of State organs, other documents of a legislative, administrative or judicial nature and their official translations;

(2) news on current affairs; and

(3) calendars, numerical tables and forms of general use, and formulas.

Article 6 Measures for the protection of copyright in works of folk literature and art shall be formulated separately by the State Council.

Article 7 The administrative department for copyright under the State Council shall be responsible for the administration of copyright nationwide. The administrative departments for copyright under the people’s governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government shall be responsible for the administration of copyright in their respective administrative regions.

Article 8 Copyright owners or owners of the rights related to the copyright may authorize collective copyright administration organizations to exercise their copyright or rights related to the copyright. Upon authorization, a collective copyright administration organization may exercise the copyright or the rights related to the copyright in its own name for the copyright owner or the owner of the rights related to the copyright and participate as a party in legal or arbitration proceedings concerning the copyright or the rights related to the copyright.

Collective copyright administration organizations are non-profit organizations, and regulations concerning the way of their establishment, their rights and obligations, their collection and distribution of copyright licensing fees, and their supervision and administration shall be formulated separately by the State Council.

Chapter II Copyright

Section 1 Copyright Owners and Their Rights

Article 9 Copyright owners include:

(1) authors; and

(2) other citizens, legal entities and other organizations enjoying the copyright in accordance with this Law.

Article 10 Copyright includes the following personal rights and property rights:

(1) the right of publication, that is, the right to decide whether to make a work available to the public;

(2) the right of authorship, that is, the right to claim authorship in respect of, and to have the author’s name mentioned in connection with, a work;

(3) the right of revision, that is, the right to revise or authorize others to revise a work;

(4) the
right of integrity, that is, the right to protect a work against distortion and mutilation;

(5) the right of reproduction, that is, the right to produce one or more copies of a work by printing, photocopying, lithographing, making a sound recording or video recording, duplicating a recording, or duplicating a photographic work, or by other means;

(6) the right of distribution, that is, the right to provide the original copy or reproductions of a work to the public by selling or donating;

(7) the right of rental, that is, the right to authorize others to use temporarily a cinematographic work or a work created by a process analogous to cinematography, or computer software, except where the software itself is not the essential object of the rental;

(8) the right of exhibition, that is, the right to publicly display the original copy or reproductions of a work of the fine arts or of a photographic work;

(9) the right of performance, that is, the right to publicly perform a work, and to publicly communicate the performance of a work by any means or process;

(10) the right of presentation, that is, the right to publicly present a work of the fine arts, a photographic work, a cinematographic work, a work created by a process analogous to cinematography, or other works, by projector, slide projector or any other technology or instrument;

(11) the right of broadcasting, that is, the right to broadcast a work or disseminate it to the public by any wireless means, to communicate the broadcast of a work to the public by wire or by rebroadcasting, and to publicly communicate the broadcast of a work by loudspeaker or any other analogous instrument transmitting signs, sounds or images;

(12) the right of communication through information network, that is, the right to make a work available to the public by wire or by wireless means, so that people may have access to the work from a place and at a time individually chosen by them;

(13) the right of cinematography, that is, the right to fix an adaptation of a work in a medium by cinematography or a process analogous to cinematography;

(14) the right of adaptation, that is, the right to change a work into a new one with originality;

(15) the right of translation, that is, the right to change the language in which the work is written into another language;

(16) the right of compilation, that is, the right to compile by selection or arrangement preexisting works or passages therefrom into a new work; and

(17) other rights to be enjoyed by copyright owners.

Copyright owners may authorize others’ exercising of the rights provided for in Subparagraph (5) through Subparagraph (17) of the preceding paragraph and receive remuneration in accordance with the terms of contracts or the relevant provisions in this Law.

Copyright owners may transfer, wholly or in part, the rights provided for in Subparagraph (5) through Subparagraph (17) of the first paragraph in this Article and receive fees in accordance with the terms of contracts or the relevant provisions in this Law.

Section 2 Ownership of Copyright

Article 11 Except where otherwise provided for in this Law, the copyright in a work shall belong to its author.

The author of a work is the citizen who creates the work.

Where a work is created under the auspices and according to the intention of a legal entity or other organization, which bears responsibility for the work, the said legal entity or organization shall be deemed to be the author of the work.

The citizen, legal entity or other organization whose name is mentioned in connection with a work shall, in the absence of proof to the contrary, be deemed to be the author of the work.

Article 12 Where a work is created by adaptation, translation, annotation or arrangement of a preexisting work, the copyright in the work thus created shall be enjoyed by the adapter, translator, annotator or arranger, provided that the exercise of such copyright does not prejudice the copyright in the preexisting work..

Article 13 Where a work is created jointly by two or more authors, the copyright in the work shall be enjoyed jointly by the co-authors. No co-authorship may be claimed by anyone who has not participated in the creation of the work.

Where a work of joint authorship can be separated into parts and exploited separately, each co-author may be entitled to independent copyright in the part that he creates, provided that the exercise of such copyright does not prejudice the copyright in the joint work as a whole.

Article 14 A collection of preexisting works or passages therefrom, or of data or other material which does not constitute a work, if manifesting the originality of a work by reason of the selection or arrangement of its contents, is a compilation. The copyright in such compilation shall be enjoyed by the compiler, provided that the exercise of such copyright does not prejudice the copyright in the preexisting works.

Article 15 The copyright in a cinematographic work or in a work created by a process analogous to cinematography shall be enjoyed by the producer of the work, while its scriptwriter, director, cameraman, lyricist, composer and other authors shall enjoy the right of authorship therein and shall be entitled to receive remuneration in accordance with the terms of the contracts concluded between them and the producer.

The authors of the script, the musical works and the other works which are included in a cinematographic work or in a work created by a process analogous to cinematography and which can be exploited separately shall be entitled to exercise their copyright independently.

Article 16 A work created by a citizen in the fulfillment of tasks assigned to him by a legal entity or other organization is a work created in the course of employment. Subject to the provisions of the second paragraph of this Article, the copyright in such work shall be enjoyed by the author; however, the legal entity or other organization shall have priority to exploit the work within the scope of its professional activities. Within two years after the completion of the work, the author may not, without the consent of the legal entity or other organization, authorize the exploitation of the work by a third party in the same manner as the legal entity or other organization exploits the work.

In any of the following cases, the author of a work created in the course of employment shall enjoy the right of authorship, while the legal entity or other organization shall enjoy the other rights included in the copyright and may reward the author:

(1) drawings of engineering designs and product designs, maps, computer software and other works which are created in the course of employment mainly with the material and technical resources of the legal entity or other organization and for which the legal entity or other organization bears responsibility;

(2) works created in the course of employment the copyright in which is, in accordance with laws, administrative regulations or contracts, enjoyed by the legal entity or other organization.

Article 17 The ownership of t
he copyright in a commissioned work shall be agreed upon in a contract between the commissioning and the commissioned parties. In the absence of such a contract or of an explicit agreement in such a contract, the copyright in the work shall belong to the commissioned party.

Article 18 The transfer of ownership of the original copy of a work of the fine arts or other works shall not be deemed to include the transfer of the copyright in such work or works; however, the right to exhibit the original copy of the work of the fine arts shall be enjoyed by the owner of the original copy.

Article 19 Where the copyright in a work belongs to a citizen, the rights as provided for in Subparagraph (5) through Subparagraph (17) of the first paragraph in Article 10 of this Law in respect of the work shall, after his death and during the term of protection provided for in this Law, be transferred in accordance with the provisions of the Law of Succession.

Where the copyright in a work belongs to a legal entity or other organization, the rights provided for in Subparagraph (5) through Subparagraph (17) of the first paragraph in Article 10 of this Law shall, after the change or the termination of the status of the legal entity or other organization and during the term of protection provided for in this Law, be enjoyed by the succeeding legal entity or other organization which takes over the former’s rights and obligations, or, in the absence of such succeeding entity or organization, by the State.

Section 3 Term of Protection for the Rights

Article 20 No time limit shall be set on the term of protection for an author’s rights of authorship and revision and his right to protect the integrity of his work.

Article 21 In respect of a work of a citizen, the term of protection for the right of publication and the rights as provided for in Subparagraph (5) through Subparagraph (17) of the first paragraph in Article 10 of this Law shall be the lifetime of the author and fifty years after his death, expiring on December 31 of the fiftieth year after his death. In the case of a work of joint authorship, the term shall expire on December 31 of the fiftieth year after the death of the last surviving author.

In respect of a work of a legal entity or other organization or a work which is created in the course of employment and the copyright (except the right of authorship) in which is enjoyed by a legal entity or other organization, the term of protection for the right of publication and the rights as provided for in Subparagraph (5) through Subparagraph (17) of the first paragraph in Article 10 of this Law shall be fifty years, expiring on December 31 of the fiftieth year after the first publication of such work; however, such work shall no longer be protected under this Law if it is not published within fifty years after the completion of its creation.

In respect of a cinematographic work, a work created by a process analogous to cinematography or a photographic work, the term of protection for the right of publication and the rights as provided for in Subparagraph (5) through Subparagraph (17) of the first paragraph in Article 10 of this Law shall be fifty years, expiring on December 31 of the fiftieth year after the first publication of such work; however, such work shall no longer be protected under this Law if it is not published within fifty years after the completion of its creation.

Section 4 Limitations on Rights

Article 22 In the following cases, a work may be used without permission from, and without payment of remuneration to, the copyright owner, provided that the name of the author and the title of the work are mentioned and the other rights enjoyed by the copyright owner in accordance with this Law are not prejudiced:

(1) use of another person’s published work for purposes of the user’s own personal study, research or appreciation;

(2) appropriate quotation from another person’s published work in one’s own work for the purpose of introducing or commenting a certain work, or explaining a certain point;

(3) unavoidable inclusion or quotation of a published work in the media, such as in a newspaper, periodical and radio and television program, for the purpose of reporting current events;

(4) publishing or rebroadcasting by the media, such as a newspaper, periodical, radio station and television station, of an article published by another newspaper or periodical, or broadcast by another radio station or television station, etc. on current political, economic or religious topics, except where the author declares that such publishing or rebroadcasting is not permitted;

(5) publishing or broadcasting by the media, such as a newspaper, periodical, radio station and television station of a speech delivered at a public gathering, except where the author declares that such publishing or broadcasting is not permitted;

(6) translation, or reproduction in a small quantity of copies of a published work by teachers or scientific researchers for use in classroom teaching or scientific research, provided that the translation or the reproductions are not published for distribution;

(7) use of a published work by a State organ to a justifiable extent for the purpose of fulfilling its official duties;

(8) reproduction of a work in its collections by a library, archive, memorial hall, museum, art gallery, etc. for the purpose of display, or preservation of a copy, of the work;

(9) gratuitous live performance of a published work, for which no fees are charged to the public, nor payments are made to the performers;

(10) copying, drawing, photographing or video-recording of a work of art put up or displayed in an outdoor public place;

(11) translation of a published work of a Chinese citizen, legal entity or other organization from Han language into minority nationality languages for publication and distribution in the country; and

(12) transliteration of a published work into braille for publication.

The provisions of the preceding paragraph shall be applicable also to the rights of publishers, performers, producers of sound recordings and video recordings, radio stations and television stations.

Article 23 Except where the author declares in advance that use of his work is not permitted, passages from a work, a short written work, musical work, a single work of the fine arts or photographic work which has been published may, without permission from the copyright owner, be compiled in textbooks for the purpose of compiling and publishing textbooks for the nine-year compulsory education and for national education planning, provided that remuneration is paid, the name of the author and the title of the work are mentioned, and the other rights enjoyed by the copyright owner in accordance with this Law are not prejudiced.

The provisions of the preceding paragraph shall be applicable also to the rights of publishers, performers, producers of sound recordings and video recordings, radio stations and television stations.

Chapter III Copyright Licensing and Transfer Contracts

Article 24 Anyone who exploits another person’s work shall conclude a copyright licensing contract with the copyright owner, except where no permission need be obtained under this Law
.

A licensing contract shall include the following main points:

(1) the category of the right to exploit the work covered by the license;

(2) the exclusive or non-exclusive nature of the right to exploit the work covered by the license;

(3) the territory and the term covered by the license;

(4) the rates of remuneration and the means of payment;

(5) the liabilities in the case of breach of the contract; and

(6) other matters which the parties consider it necessary to agree upon.

Article 25 Anyone who transfers any of the rights provided for in Subparagraph (5) through Subparagraph (17) of the first paragraph in Article 10 of this Law shall conclude a written contract.

A copyright transfer contract shall include the following main points:

(1) the title of the work;

(2) the category of the right to be transferred and the territory covered by the transfer;

(3) the rates of the transfer fee;

(4) the date and the means of payment of the transfer fee;

(5) the liabilities in the case of breach of the contract; and

(6) other matters that the parties consider it necessary to agree upon.

Article 26 The other party may not, without permission from the copyright owner, exercise any right that is not explicitly licensed or transferred by the copyright owner in the contract.

Article 27 The rates of remuneration for the exploitation of a work may be agreed upon by the parties and may also be paid in accordance with the rates fixed by the administrative department for copyright under the State Council in conjunction with the other departments concerned. In the absence of an explicit agreement in the contract, the remuneration shall be paid in accordance with the rates fixed by the said department under the State Council in conjunction with the other departments concerned.

Article 28 No publishers, performers, producers of sound recordings and video recordings, radio stations, television stations, etc. that exploit another person’s work in accordance with the relevant provisions of this Law may infringe upon the authors’ rights of authorship, revision or protection of the integrity of the works, or their right to remuneration.

Chapter IV Publication, Performance, Sound Recording, Video Recording and Broadcasting

Section 1 Publication of Books, Newspapers and Periodicals

Article 29 A book publisher who intends to publish a book shall conclude a publishing contract with, and pay remuneration to, the copyright owner.

Article 30 The exclusive right enjoyed by the book publisher in accordance with the agreement in the contract to publish a work that the copyright owner delivered to him for publishing shall be protected by law, and the work may not be published by others.

Article 31 The copyright owner shall deliver the work within the term specified in the contract. The book publisher shall publish the work in compliance with the quality requirements and within the term as specified in the contract.

The book publisher who fails to publish the work within the term specified in the contract shall bear civil liabilities provided for in Article 53 of this Law.

When the book publisher reprints or republishes the work, it shall notify the copyright owner of the matter and pay remuneration to him. If the publisher refuses to reprint or republish the work when the stock of the book is exhausted, the copyright owner shall have the right to terminate the contract.

Article 32 Where a copyright owner has submitted the manuscript of his work to a newspaper or periodical publisher for publication and has not received, within 15 days from the newspaper or within 30 days from the periodical publisher, counted from the date of submission of the manuscript, any notification of the said newspaper’s or publisher’s decision to publish the work, the copyright owner may submit the manuscript of the same work to another newspaper or periodical publisher for publishing, unless the parties have agreed otherwise.

Except where the copyright owner declares that no reprinting or excerpting of his work is permitted, a newspaper or periodical publisher may, after the work is published by another newspaper or periodical publisher, reprint the work or print an abstract of it or print it as reference material, provided that remuneration is paid to the copyright owner in accordance with relevant regulations.

Article 33 A book publisher may, with the permission of the author, revise or abridge the work.

A newspaper or periodical publisher may make editorial modifications and abridgments in the language of a work. Any revision in the contents of the work shall be subject to permission by the author.

Article 34 When publishing a work created by adaptation, translation, annotation, arrangement or compilation of a preexisting work, the publisher shall obtain permission from, and pay remuneration to, both the owner of the copyright in the work created by adaptation, translation, annotation, arrangement or compilation and the owner of the copyright in the preexisting work.

Article 35 A publisher shall have the right to permit another person to exploit, or prohibit such person from exploiting, the typographical design of the book or the periodical which he publishes.

The term of protection for the right specified in the preceding paragraph shall be ten years, expiring on December 31 of the tenth year after the first publication of the book or the periodical in which the typographical design is used.

Section 2 Performance

Article 36 A performer (an individual performer or a performing group) who exploits, for a performance, a work created by another person shall obtain permission from, and pay remuneration to, the copyright owner. Where a performance is organized by a person, the organizer shall obtain permission from, and pay remuneration to, the copyright owner.

Anyone who exploits, for a performance, a work created by adaptation, translation, annotation or arrangement of a preexisting work shall obtain permission from, and pay remuneration to, both the owner of the copyright in the work created by adaptation, translation, annotation or arrangement and the owner of the copyright in the preexisting work.

Article 37 A performer shall, in respect of his performance, enjoy the following rights:

(1) to claim performership;

(2) to protect the image inherent in his performance from distortion;

(3) to authorize others’ live broadcasting or communicating to the public of his performance, and receive remuneration therefrom;

(4) to authorize others’ making of sound recordings and video recordings of his performance, and receive remuneration therefrom;

(5) to authorize others’ reproduction and distribution of the sound recordings and video recordings of his performance, and receive remuneration therefrom
; and

(6) to authorize others’ making of his performance available to the public through information network, and receive remuneration therefrom.

A person who is authorized exploitation of a work in the manner provided for in Subparagraph (3) through Subparagraph (6) of the preceding paragraph shall, in addition, obtain permission from, and pay remuneration to, the copyright owner.

Article 38 No time limit shall be set on the term of protection for the rights provided for in Subparagraphs (1) and (2) of the first paragraph in Article 37 of this Law.

The term of protection for the rights provided for in Subparagraph (3) through Subparagraph (6) of the first paragraph in Article 37 of this Law shall be fifty years, expiring on December 31 of the fiftieth year after the performance takes place.

Section 3 Sound Recording and Video Recording

Article 39 A producer of sound recordings or video recordings who exploits, for making a sound recording or video recording, a work created by another person shall obtain permission from, and pay remuneration to, the copyright owner.

A producer of sound recordings or video recordings who exploits a work created by adaptation, translation, annotation or arrangement of a preexisting work shall obtain permission from, and pay remuneration to, both the owner of the copyright in the work created by adaptation, translation, annotation or arrangement and the owner of the copyright in the preexisting work.

A producer of sound recordings who exploits, for making a sound recording, a musical work of which a lawful sound recording has been made, may do without permission from the copyright owner, but shall, in accordance with regulations, pay remuneration to the copyright owner; no such work may be exploited where the copyright owner declares that exploitation is not permitted.

Article 40 When making a sound recording or video recording of a performance, the producer shall conclude a contract with, and pay remuneration to, the performer.

Article 41 The producer of a sound recording or video recording shall enjoy the right to authorize others’ reproducing, distributing or renting the sound recording or video recording or making it available to the public through information network and to receive remuneration therefrom. The term of protection for such right shall be fifty years, expiring on December 31 of the fiftieth year after the first completion of the recording.

Anyone who is authorized reproducing or distributing a sound recording or video recording or making it available to the public through information network shall, in addition, obtain permission from, and pay remuneration to, both the copyright owner and the performer.

Section 4 Broadcasting by a Radio Station or Television Station

Article 42 A radio station or television station that broadcasts an unpublished work created by another person shall obtain permission from, and pay remuneration to, the copyright owner.

A radio station or television station that broadcasts a published work created by another person may do without permission from, but shall pay remuneration to, the copyright owner.

Article 43 A radio station or television station that broadcasts a published sound recording may do without permission from, but shall pay remuneration to, the copyright owner, unless the parties have agreed otherwise. Specific measures in this regard shall be formulated by the State Council.

Article 44 A radio station or television station shall have the right to prohibit the following acts performed without its permission:

(1) broadcasting its programs; and

(2) making a sound recording or video recording of its programs and reproducing such recording.

The term of protection for the right specified in the preceding paragraph shall be fifty years, expiring on December 31 of the fiftieth year after the first broadcasting of a program.

Article 45 A television station that intends to broadcast a cinematographic work or a work created by a process analogous to cinematography, or a video recording produced by another person, shall obtain permission from, and pay remuneration to, the producer; in the case of a video recording, the television station shall, in addition, obtain permission from, and pay remuneration to, the copyright owner.

Chapter V Legal Liabilities and Enforcement Measures

Article 46 Anyone who commits any of the following acts of infringement shall, depending on the circumstances, bear civil liabilities such as ceasing the infringement, eliminating the bad effects of the act, making an apology or paying compensation for damages:

(1) publishing a work without permission of the copyright owner;

(2) publishing a work of joint authorship as a work created solely by oneself, without permission of the other co-authors;

(3) having one’s name mentioned in another person’s work in the creation of which one has taken no part, in order to seek personal fame and gain;

(4) distorting or mutilating a work created by another person;

(5) plagiarizing a work created by another person;

(6) exploiting a work for exhibition or film-making or in a manner analogous to film-making, or for adaptation, translation, annotation, or for other purposes, without permission of the copyright owner, except where otherwise provided for in this Law;

(7) exploiting a work created by another person without paying remuneration as one should;

(8) renting a cinematographic work or a work created by a process analogous to cinematography, computer software, or products of sound recording or video recording, without permission of the copyright owner or the owner of the rights related to the copyright, except where otherwise provided for in this Law;

(9) exploiting the typographical design of a published book or periodical, without permission of the publisher;

(10) live broadcasting, communicating to the public, or recording a performance, without permission of the performer; or

(11) committing other acts infringing upon the copyright and the rights related to the copyright.

Article 47 Anyone who commits any of the following acts of infringement shall, depending on the circumstances, bear civil liabilities such as ceasing the infringement, eliminating the bad effects of the act, making an apology or paying compensation for damages; where public rights and interests are impaired, the administrative department for copyright may order the person to discontinue the infringement, confiscate his unlawful gains, confiscate or destroy the copies produced through infringement, and may also impose a fine; where the circumstances are serious, the said department may, in addition, confiscate the material, tools and instruments mainly used to produce copies through infringement; and where a crime is constituted, criminal liabilities shall be investigated in accordance with law:

(1) reproducing, distributing, performing, presenting, broadcasting, compiling a work or making it available to the public through in
formation network, without permission of the copyright owner, except where otherwise provided for in this Law;

(2) publishing a book the exclusive right of publication in which is enjoyed by another person;

(3) reproducing or distributing a sound recording or video recording of a performance, or making a performance available to the public through information network, without permission of the performer, except where otherwise provided for in this Law;

(4) reproducing or distributing a product of sound recording or video recording or making it available to the public through information network, without permission of the producer, except where otherwise provided for in this Law;

(5) rebroadcasting a radio or television program or reproducing such a program without permission, except where otherwise provided for in this Law;

(6) intentionally circumventing or sabotaging the technological measures adopted by a copyright owner or an owner of the rights related to the copyright to protect the copyright or the rights related to the copyright in the work or the products sound recording or video recording, without permission of the owner, except where otherwise provided for in laws or administrative regulations;

(7) intentionally removing or altering any electronic rights management information attached to a copy of a work, a product of sound recording or video recording, etc. without permission of the copyright owner or the owner of the rights related to the copyright, except where otherwise provided for in this Law; or

(8) producing or selling a work the authorship of which is counterfeited.

Article 48 Anyone who infringes upon the copyright or a right related to the copyright shall pay compensation for the actual losses suffered by the right owner, or where the actual losses are difficult to calculate, pay compensation to the amount of the unlawful gains of the infringer. The compensation shall include the reasonable expenses that the right owner has paid for putting a stop to the infringement.

Where the actual losses of the right owner or the unlawful gains of the infringer cannot be determined, the People’s Court shall, in light of the circumstances of the infringement, decide on a compensation amounting to not more than 500,000 RMB yuan.

Article 49 Where a copyright owner or an owner of a right related to the copyright who can present evidence to prove that another person is committing, or is about to commit, an infringement upon his right, which, unless prevented promptly, is likely to cause irreparable harm to his legitimate rights and interests, he may, before taking legal proceedings, apply to a People’s Court for measures to order discontinuation of the infringement and to preserve property.

When dealing with the application specified in the preceding paragraph, the People’s Court shall apply the provisions in Article 93 through Article 96 and Article 99 of the Civil Procedure Law of the People’s Republic of China.

Article 50 In order to prevent infringement, a copyright owner or an owner of a right related to the copyright may, before taking legal proceedings, apply to a People’s Court for preserving evidence, where the evidence is likely to be missing or is difficult to obtain later.

After accepting the application, the People’s Court shall make a ruling within 48 hours. Where it rules to adopt preservation measures, it shall have the measures enforced immediately.

The People’s Court may order the applicant to provide a guarantee, and shall reject the application where the applicant fails to do so.

Where the applicant fails to take legal proceedings within 15 days from the date the People’s Court adopts the preservation measure, the People’s Court shall terminate the measure.

Article 51 When trying a case where the copyright or a right related to it is infringed upon, the People’s Court may rule to confiscate the unlawful gains, the products of infringement and money and things of value used for illegal activities.

Article 52 A publisher or a producer of reproductions who fails to prove that he is legally authorized publishing or producing of the reproductions, or a distributor of reproductions or a renter of reproductions of a cinematographic work or a work created by a process analogous to cinematography, computer software, sound recording or video recording who fails to prove the legal source of the reproductions that he distributes or rents, shall bear legal liabilities.

Article 53 Any party who fails to perform his contractual obligations, or performs them at variance with the agreed conditions in the contract, shall bear civil liabilities in accordance with the relevant provisions of the General Principles of the Civil Law of the People’s Republic of China, the Contract Law of the People’s Republic of China and other related laws.

Article 54 Any dispute over copyright may be settled through mediation, it may also be submitted to an arbitration body for arbitration under a written arbitration agreement between the parties or under the arbitration clause in the copyright contract.

Any party may take legal proceedings directly in a People’s Court where there is neither a written arbitration agreement between the parties nor an arbitration clause in the contract.

Article 55 Any party that is not satisfied with an administrative penalty, may taking legal proceedings in a People’s Court within three months from the date he receives the written decision on the penalty. Where the party neither takes legal proceedings nor implements the decision at the expiration of the time limit, the administrative department for copyright may apply to the People’s Court for enforcement.

Chapter VI Supplementary Provisions

Article 56 The term zhuzuoquan (copyright) as used in this Law means banquan commonly used in the country.

Article 57 The term publish as used in Article 2 of this Law means reproducing and distributing of a work.

Article 58 Measures for the protection of computer software and of the right of communication through information network shall be formulated separately by the State Council.

Article 59 The rights of copyright owners, publishers, performers, producers of sound recordings and video recordings, radio stations and television stations, as provided for in this Law, shall, if the term of their protection specified in this Law has not yet expired on the date this Law goes into effect, be protected in accordance with this Law.

Any act of tort or breach of contract committed prior to the date this Law goes into effect shall be dealt with in accordance with the relevant regulations or policies in force at the time when such act was committed.

Article 60 This Law shall go into effect on June 1, 1991.
============================================

Regulation on the Implementation of the Copyright Law of the People’s Republic of China
 
Promulgation date: 08-02-2002
Effective date: 09-15-2002
Department: STATE COUNCIL OF CHINA
Subject: COPYRIGHT

——————————————————————————–
order of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China (No. 359)

The Regulation on the Implementation of the Copyright Law of the People’s Republic of China is hereby promulgated for implementation as of September 15, 2002.

HK Legislation on the Cyber Crimes

1. Laws against Hacking (Unauthorized Access, Access with Criminal Intent)
There are two offences under the laws of Hong Kong aiming at "Hacking" activities:-
    • Cap.106 S.27a – Unauthorised access to computer by telecommunication
    • Cap.200 S.161- Access to computer with criminal or dishonest intent
 
  • CAP 106 TELECOMMUNICATIONS orDINANCE
    • Section 27A – Unauthorized access to computer by telecommunications – 16/06/2000
Section Num:
27A
Version Date
16/06/2000
Heading
Unauthorized access to computer by telecommunications
 
(1)     Any person who, by telecommunications, knowingly causes a
computer to perform any function to obtain unauthorized access to any
program or data held in a computer commits an offence and is liable on
conviction to a fine of $20000. (Amended 36 of 2000 s. 28)
(2)     For the purposes of subsection (1)-
(a)     the intent of the person need not be directed at-
(i)     any particular program or data;
(ii)    a program or data of a particular kind; or
(iii)   a program or data held in a particular computer;
(b)     access of any kind by a person to any program or data held in a
computer is unauthorized if he is not entitled to control access of the
kind in question to the program or data held in the computer and-
(i)     he has not been authorized to obtain access of the kind in
question to the program or data held in the computer by any person who is
so entitled;
(ii)    he does not believe that he has been so authorized; and
(iii)   he does not believe that he would have been so authorized if
he had applied for the appropriate authority.
(3)     Subsection (1) has effect without prejudice to any law relating
to powers of inspection, search or seizure.
(4)     Notwithstanding section 26 of the Magistrates ordinance (Cap
227), proceedings for an offence under this section may be brought at any
time within 3 years of the commission of the offence or within 6 months of
the discovery of the offence by the prosecutor, whichever period expires
first.
(Added 23 of 1993 s. 2)
 
————–
  • CAP 200 CRIMES orDINANCE
    • Section 161 – Access to computer with criminal or dishonest intent – 30/06/1997
Section Num:
161
Version Date
30/06/1997
Heading
Access to computer with criminal or dishonest intent
 
 
(1)     Any person who obtains access to a computer-
(a)     with intent to commit an offence;
(b)     with a dishonest intent to deceive;
(c)     with a view to dishonest gain for himself or another; or
(d)     with a dishonest intent to cause loss to another,
whether on the same occasion as he obtains such access or on any future
occasion, commits an offence and is liable on conviction upon indictment
to imprisonment for 5 years.
(2)     For the purposes of subsection (1) "gain" (獲益) and "loss" (損失)
are to be construed as extending not only to gain or loss in money or
other property, but as extending to any such gain or loss whether
temporary or permanent; and-
(a)     "gain" (獲益) includes a gain by keeping what one has, as well as
a gain by getting what one has not; and
(b)     "loss" (損失) includes a loss by not getting what one might get,
as well as a loss by parting with what one has.
(Added 23 of 1993 s. 5)
 
2. Laws against Criminal Damage
    • Section 59 – Interpretation – 30/06/1997
Section Num:
59
Version Date
30/06/1997
Heading
Interpretation
 
PART VIII
 
CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO PROPERTY
 
(1)     In this Part, "property" (財產) means
(a)     property of a tangible nature, whether real or personal,
including money and-
(i)     including wild creatures which have been tamed or are
ordinarily kept in captivity, and any other wild creatures or their
carcasses if, but only if, they have been reduced into possession which
has not been lost or abandoned or are in the course of being reduced into
possession; but
(ii)    not including mushrooms growing wild on any land or flowers,
fruit or foliage of a plant growing wild on any land; or
(b)     any program, or data, held in a computer or in a computer
storage medium, whether or not the program or data is property of a
tangible nature.
In this subsection, "mushroom" (菌類植物) includes any fungus and "plant" (植物) includes any shrub or tree. (Replaced 23 of 1993 s. 3)
(1A)    In this Part, "to destroy or damage any property" (摧毀或損壞財產) in
relation to a computer includes the misuse of a computer.
In this subsection, "misuse of a computer" (誤用電腦) means-
(a) to cause a computer to function other than as it has been established to function by or on behalf of its owner, notwithstanding that the misuse may not impair the operation of the computer or a program held in the computer or the reliability of data held in the computer;
(b) to alter or erase any program or data held in a computer or in
a computer storage medium;
(c) to add any program or data to the contents of a computer or of
a computer storage medium, and any act which contributes towards causing the misuse of a kind referred to in paragraph (a), (b) or (c) shall be regarded as causing it. (Added 23 of 1993 s. 3)
(2) Property shall be treated for the purposes of this Part as belonging to any person-
(a) having the custody or control of it;
(b) having in it any proprietary right or interest (not being an
equitable interest arising only from an agreement to transfer or grant an
interest); or
(c)     having a charge on it.
(3)     Where property is subject to a trust, the persons to whom it belongs shall be so treated as including any person having a right to enforce the trust.
(4)     Property of a corporation sole shall be so treated as belonging to the corporation notwithstanding a vacancy in the corporation.
(Added 48 of 1972 s. 3)
[cf. 1971 c. 48 s. 10 U.K.]
 
————
    • Section 60 – Destroying or damaging property – 30/06/1997
Section Num:
60
Version Date
30/06/1997
Heading
Destroying or damaging property
 
(1) A person who without lawful excuse destroys or damages any property belonging to another intending to destroy or damage any such property or being reckless as to whether any such property would be destroyed or damaged shall be guilty of an offence.
(2) A person who without lawful excuse destroys or damages any property, whether belonging to himself or another-
(a) intending to destroy or damage any property or being reckless as to whether any property would be destroyed or damaged; and
(b) intending by the destruction or damage to endanger the life of another or being reckless as to whether the life of another would be thereby endangered,
shall be guilty of an offence.
(3) An offence committed under this section by destroying or damaging property by fire shall be charged as arson.
(Added 48 of 1972 s. 3)
[cf. 1971 c. 48 s. 1 U.K.]

Some Useful Links on China Internet Governance

Internet Governance in China is an aspect of my research topics. The following is a list of some useful publicated materials on the topic. I believe this collection is very copyrightable even it is just a rough version. This list is also contributed by Dr. Zhao Yun, so please at least mention our name (Zhao Yun and Dong Hao) and the URL of this site (www.blawgdog.com) after you use it.
 
Click HERE to see the details.

2005 PRC Anti spamming Legislation | 互联网电子邮件服务管理办法

China enacted his own anti-spamming legal system in a new regulation named Electronic Mail Administrative orders (EMAO hereinafter). Announced by the Department of Information Industry, which is a branch of China’s central government, this Subordinate legislation has a national effectiveness.

From article 11 to article 17, EMAO established a strict but recapitulative regulation dealing with the severe problem of spamming, which has a few characters as follows:

Firstly, EMAO adopts a strict “opt-in” regime to prohibit the rampant spamming activities in China. Overseas experience has been inconclusive as to whether an opt-in regime or an opt-out regime is better in curbing spam. The opt-in regime requires the sender of commercial electronic messages to have pre-existing business relationship with the recipient, or have obtained consent from the recipient before he could send commercial electronic messages to that recipient. While an opt-out regime requires the sender of commercial electronic messages to stop sending further commercial electronic messages to a recipient if the recipient so requests, but before receiving such a request, the sender may continue to send such messages to the recipient. In article 13, the order prohibit “any organization and individual” sending or relegating to others sending e-mail in which includes commercial advertisement content “without an unambiguous consent” from the recipients.

Secondly, EMAO prohibited some technical applications that often used by spammers, while the regulation does not covered all possible illegitimate techniques. “Address-harvesting” are “dictionary attacks” are prohibited by article 12. Nevertheless, the conduct of using scripts of other automated means to register for multiple e-mail address, and then sending e-mails via these address (named as “automatic throwaway accounts”) dose not be mentioned in EMAO.