AfterDawn: News

Split decision by WTO over Chinese piracy case

The World Trade Organization (WTO) has made a split decision on a year old complaint filed by the US against China over piracy concerns.

The panel concluded that China was responsible for not prosecuting pirates who copy CDs and DVDs. The news was not all good for the US however as the panel also concluded that
"Chinese thresholds for prosecuting piracy do not break WTO rules."



The thresholds allow pirates of anything from clothing to medicine to avoid any prosecution as long as it is under 500 infringing copies.

A third issue, that of whether "seized goods can be reintroduced into the market if the infringing material is removed" was more confusing but a US trade official says the US won on that count.

Washington has been complaining for years that China is a safe haven for product piracy, especially on a commercial scale. "Over the past several years, China has taken tangible steps to improve (intellectual property rights) protection and enforcement. However, we still see important gaps that need to be addressed," Sean Spicer, spokesman for U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab, said in a statement last year.

China has said that the case being brought to the WTO could possibly damage trade relations between the countries. The US is the largest importer from China for all types of products.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 13 Oct 2008 20:58

• Previous article

• No PS3 pricecut for Christmas, says Sony

• Next article

• EU tells MP3 player owners to turn down the volume

• 4 comments

• DXR88

  China won't want anything to do with the US in the next few years.
  
  And really Why does are government have a nasty habit, of telling other people how they should run there county when we can't even run are own.
  
  If anything they will be laughing at us, for being so dame broke.
  
  Don't see china saying, OMG don't copy that CD it will lead us to a recession.
  
  give it a couple of weeks the RIAA/MPAA will start throwing out stupidity Like "Pirates the cause of Recession"

  13.10.2008 21:27 #1

• iluvendo

  The MPAA/RIAA has quoted Media Sentry as definitive proof that pirates are the actual cause of the global recession (and even the sub prime fiasco)

  13.10.2008 23:00 #2

• Stu_dent

  The WTO are a bunch of muppets, it is just an extention of the massive corporations and governments to push through there political and global agenda's, and shaft everyone else especially the 3rd world.

  14.10.2008 08:00 #3

• DjDanio

  Originally posted by DXR88: China won't want anything to do with the US in the next few years.
  
  And really Why does are government have a nasty habit, of telling other people how they should run there county when we can't even run are own.
  
  If anything they will be laughing at us, for being so dame broke.
  
  Don't see china saying, OMG don't copy that CD it will lead us to a recession.
  
  give it a couple of weeks the RIAA/MPAA will start throwing out stupidity Like "Pirates the cause of Recession"Aaaaaaaaargh, you have made so many grammatical errors it hurts.
  
  Greedy americans made the problem by seeking more and more money from riskier and riskier lending, and then spreading the risk around the world.
  
  The hundred bazilion pounds worth of lost revenue from piracy might have stopped it though, as maybe then these people would have enough money :)

  14.10.2008 17:14 #4