IP Infringement Cases in the First Half of 2005 Increased, the National Police Agency’s Statistics Find.

  With the concerted endeavor by and between the government and non-governmental organizations, IP infringement was once curbed, but it seems to reactivates recently.

 

  According to the statistics released by the National Police Agency (NPA), the police had uncovered 2,268 cases of alleged IP infringement during the first half of 2005 (January to June), and this number marks an increase of 337 cases and also a growth rate by 17.45% as compared to those of the same period of 2004.

 

  If the cases reported are categorized, those of alleged violation of the “Trademark Law” take most of them. As per the statistics, the cases of alleged Trademark Law violation totaled 1,150 cases in the first half of 2005 and involved an amount of 4.05 billions, which represents an increase of 289 cases with the value of 1.646 billions as compared to those of the same period of 2004.

 

  As for the cases of alleged “Copyright Law” violation, 1,118 cases were reported in the first half of 2005 and involved an amount of 0.787 billion. This number shows a slight increase of 48 cases but a slide in the value of 2.426 billions.

 

  The Economic Affairs Division of NPA held that most of the reported IP infringement cases in the first half of 2005 are those of infringement on Taiwan-owned IP, which totals 1440 cases (63.49%). Further, 114 cases involved the Japan-owned IP, and 102 cases, the US-owned IP. Most the cases involving the Japan-owned IP are those regarding pirated disks (totaling 64 cases and taking 56.14% of them). Among the cases involving the US-owned IP, there are more cases regarding counterfeit trademarks of the brands of such products as clothes, accessories, and sports shoes (totaling 56 cases and taking 54.9% of them). (2005.7)

CYJ/CCS