Скачать или смотреть Parallel Importation of Genuine Products: Changing the Australian Government's Policy: Part 1

Parallel importation is the importation into Australia for resale of genuine products, through channels other than those authorised by the original manufacturer and brand owner. For almost 20 years successive Australian Governments have allowed and indeed encouraged such parallel importation, in the belief that this will encourage price competition and benefit consumers.

Whilst offering goods at prices below those of authorised distributors or local subsidiaries, parallel importers free ride on the publicity of authorised importers, almost never provide warranty support, don't carry spare parts and commonly refer consumer complaints and claims to the authorised importer. The costs of such problems have never been taken into account by Government.

As the Australian Trade Marks Office looks at some aspects of the trade mark laws that deal with parallel importation, there may be opportunities to address the problem at Government level.

Stephen is a partner of Corrs Chambers Westgarth, Chair of the firm's Europe Focus group, and an intellectual property lawyer with a significant practice in the patent and trade mark litigation areas, including protecting international brands.

Stephen acts for a wide range of clients, from luxury goods manufacturers and machinery manufacturers to watch makers and wine producers, protecting all aspects of their intellectual property portfolios against misuse.

He has given advice to the European Commission, is an occasional lecturer at the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (the OIV) in Paris and lectures on wine law at the University of Bordeaux Montesquieu. In 2006 Stephen was appointed a Chevalier of the Ordre du Mérite -- Agricole by a Decree of the French Republic.