Exports and Imports - BPI seeks damages from CD WOW!
Mar 14, 2007
Author: Iwan Emanuel

CD WOW! which sells CDs on line is being sued by the recording industry. Importing products protected by copyright, trade marks, patents or other such rights from outside the 29 EU/EEA member states amounts to infringement of those rights.

Iwan Emanuel says “There are important legal rules on export and import of goods and products such as CDs. Many companies forget to draw up legal contracts or terms of business which deal with export and import issues within the law and we can help with this. It is only where the goods are bought within the European Economic Area countries and were first sold there by the owner of the rights or its licensees that they can be bought and sold and exported freely from country to country in the EEA.

Another interesting issue concerns customers and restrictions on customers. The Office of Fair Trading has been looking at this point. Some suppliers have sought to charge websites higher prices for goods than shops because shops have higher costs and provide more guidance to customers. Customers go into the shop, take the advice and then go home and buy more cheaply on-line. UK and EU competition law can have an impact here and dominant companies need to treat like cases alike and not discriminate. It is certainly an area in which to seek legal advice.

Call Iwan Emanuel on 01494 521301 for information.