A Trick of the (Virtual) Trade: a study on the challenges posed by cross-border e-commerce for national patent systems

Authors

Keywords:

Patents, Infringement, Transnational, E-Commerce, International Commerce

Abstract

The rise of cross-border e-commerce creates a worldwide marketplace accessible to all – businesses and consumers alike. The international reach of electronic commerce provides unique challenges to patent owners, as infringing activity is enabled to occur transnationally, while innovators must rely on patent systems which are geographically confined. From the alluded context, this study aims to explore the challenges posed by transnational e-commerce to patent owners’ rights and evaluate some of the most pressing issues towards curtailing cross-border infringement. Through the literature review conducted herein, results point to the fact that the difficulties associated with adjudicating infringement in a cross-border setting have led national judges to find “creative” solutions to the transnational infringement problem. The conclusions taken from this study suggest that the current commercial paradigm calls for a rethinking of the “nationally confined” nature of patent systems.

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Author Biographies

  • Jorge Enrique de Azevedo Tinoco, University of São Paulo (USP)

    Lawyer. Associate at the Kasznar Leonardos Advogados law firm. Master of Laws (LL.M.) student at the University of São Paulo (USP) focusing on International Commercial Law. Post-graduate degree in International Law from the University of Fortaleza (UNIFOR). Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN). Researcher at the International Law Observatory of Rio Grande do Norte (OBDI/UFRN). ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8774-7438. E-mail: jorge.tinoco@usp.br.

  • Débora Barreto Santana de Andrade, University of Fortaleza (UNIFOR)

    Lawyer. Partner at the Rêgo e Santana Advogados Associados law firm. Professor in the International Law post-graduate course at the University of Fortaleza (UNIFOR). Guest professor in the International Business Course of the European Academic Institute. Doctor of Juridical Sciences (S.J.D.) and Master of Laws (LL.M.) from the CERIC of the Aix-Marseille Université (France). Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from the Federal University of Ceará (UFC). E-mail: deborabsantana@gmail.com.

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Published

19-12-2024

How to Cite

“A Trick of the (Virtual) Trade: a study on the challenges posed by cross-border e-commerce for national patent systems” (2024) Cadernos de Dereito Actual, (26), pp. 59–84. Available at: https://cadernosdedereitoactual.es/index.php/cadernos/article/view/1173 (Accessed: 25 January 2025).