On issue of criminal liability for violations of intellectual property rights

Abstract

The issues of criminal liability for violations of intellectual property rights in Ukraine as well as examples of foreign countries (Federal Republic of Germany, French Republic, United States of America, Swiss Confederation) were analyzed. The author has identified major international instruments that set out basic international standards for the protection of intellectual property rights. It has been determined that Article 61, Section 5, of the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights, or the TRIPS Agreement, lays down provisions on criminal proceedings. The author analyzed the provisions of the current criminal legislation of Ukraine, according to which the occurrence of criminal liability is possible in case of violation of property rights of owners, without taking into account personal non-property rights. The article also states that, in accordance with the provisions of the articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, a peculiarity of domestic criminal legislation on infringement of intellectual property rights is that this type of liability can occur only if the owner of the rights of property damage in a large, large or especially large size. With regard to the Institute of Industrial Property, the Criminal Code of Ukraine provides for liability for the unlawful use of an invention, utility model, industrial design or variety of plants, if the material damage was done, as previously stated, in a significant, large or particularly large sizes. The author has determined that the urgency of the solution requires the issue of extending legal protection to new and emerging technologies. As with this, the nature of the violations and the process itself change. Against this background, there is a serious challenge to the intellectual property system. In turn, the process of protection and protection of intellectual property may be enhanced by having an adequate and effective system of state mechanism for preventing and ending offenses. It can also be achieved by simplifying the process of proving infringement in the field of intellectual property, and thus the procedure for bringing the perpetrator to justice.