codul quebec si pi

8/11/2019 Codul Quebec Si PI

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does not extend to pending applications for the issuance of a patent or forthe registration of a trademark.

Trade secrets are the object of two novel provisions which promise to attractmuch attention. Art. 1612 expressly allows the owner of a wrongfully disclosed

trade secret to claim damages related to the cost of acquiring, perfectingand using the trade secret, while lost profits "may be compensated forthrough payment of royalties". However, pursuant to Art. 1472, the disclosermay be exonerated from liability for the owner's economic loss upon provingthat disclosure favored "considerations of general interest and,particularly...for reasons of public health or safety". In its official commentaryto the Code, the Ministry of Justice cites as hypothetical examples of thesuccessful invocation of Art. 1472, disclosures concerning a cure for cancer orthe AIDS virus, or a corporate whistle-blower's revelation about the dangerouseffects of a product available to the public.

Also of note is the codification of personality rights, which are held by bothindividuals and bodies corporate, are inalienable [Art. 3]; but subject to beinglicensed; and, in the case of individuals, may be transmitted to their heirs [Art.625] who may sue, or carry on a pending suit, for damages resulting from abreach of personality rights [Art. 1610]. Among the enumerated acts whichmay be considered an appropriation of personality rights is the use of aperson's "name, image, likeness or voice for a purpose other than thelegitimate information of the public" [Art. 36(5)]. And pursuant to Art. 56, aperson who uses a name other than his own is liable for any resultingconfusion or damage. Art. 56 also enables the spouse and close relatives of aperson whose name is wrongfully used to object to such use and demandredress for the damage caused.

Finally, licensors of trademark rights should note that under Art. 1880 of theCode, it will no longer be possible to grant perpetual licences : the newmaximum term is 100 years; any stipulation exceeding that term will bereduced to 100 years.

The interplay between these new provisions and the pre-existing federal lawsregarding substantive intellectual property rights bears watching. SurelyQubec's legislative initiative will also fuel discussion in other provincial

assemblies and the IP bar at large. Eventually, we might see a movementtoward the harmonization of laws within the federation that affect personalproperty security as well as privacy and publicity (i.e. personality) rights.

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Sections of the Civil Code of Quebec dealing specifically with intellectualproperty are listed hereinbelow. One should remember, however, that the


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CCQ, as the jus commune, covers almost every facet of the "Property andCivil Rights in the Province". It follows that it interacts/intersects with the day-to-day operation of the federal so-called "I.P." statutes", i.e. the exercise ofthose rights of property in the intangibles such as ownership, assignment,license or legal devolution thereof.

On trouvera ci-aprs une numration sommaire des articles du Code civil duQubec traitant nommment de proprit intellectuelle. Il est toutefois utilede rappeller que le CCQ, titre de droit commun, couvre pratiquement tousles aspects de la proprit et des droits civils dans la province et,consquemment, est d'application constante dans l'exploitation desintangibles.

3 Incessibilit des droits de la personnalitInalieability of personality rights

35-37 Respect de la rputation et de la vie priveRespect of reputation and privacy

55-56 Utilisation du nom et responsabilit en cas de confusionUse of name and liability for confusion

305-306 Emploi de noms par la personne moraleUse of names by the legal person

316-317 Soulvement du voile corporatifLift of the corporate veil

321-324 Obligations et inhabilet des adminsitrateursObligations and disqualifications of directors

458 Proprit matrimoniale des droits de proprit intellectuelleet de leurs revenus

Matrimonial ownership of intellectual property and theirrevenues

625 Transmissibilit cause de mort des recours pour violation

des droits de la personalitTransmission to the heirs of the rights of action for breach ofpersonality rights

909 Proprit des droits de proprit intellectuelle et de leursrevenus

Ownership of intellectual property and their revenues


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1309-1310 Obligations de l'administrateur du bien d'autruiObligations of administrator

1457-1458 Conditions de la responsabilit

Conditions of liability

1472 Divulgation permise de secrets commerciauxDisclosure of trade secrets exempted of liability

1610 Transmissibilit aux hritiers du droit des dommagesrsulatant de la violation des droits de la personnalitTransmissibility to the heirs of the rights to damages resultingfrom the breach of personality rights

1612 Responabilit et dommages pour violation de secrets

commerciauxLiability and damages for breach of trade secrets

2088 Obligation de loyaut du salariObligation of loyalty of employees

2089&2095 Clauses de non-concurrenceNon-competition clause

2684 Hypothque mobilire des brevets et marques de commerceMoveable hypothec of patents and trade marks

2837-2840 Recevabilit en preuve de donnes et dossiers informatiquesAdmissibility in evidence of computer data and records

2925 Prescription gnrale de trois ans pour atteinte un droitpersonnelGeneral three years prescription to enforce a personal right

2929 Prescription d'un an pour diffamationOne year prescription in action for defamation

3135 Introduction de la rgle du forum non conveniensAcceptance of the rule of forum non conveniens


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ROBIC, un groupe d'avocats et d'agents de brevets et de marques de commerce voudepuis 1892 la protection et la valorisation de la proprit intellectuelle dans tous lesdomaines: brevets, dessins industriels et modles utilitaires; marques de commerce, marquesde certification et appellations d'origine; droits d'auteur, proprit littraire et artistique, droits

voisins et de l'artiste interprte; informatique, logiciels et circuits intgrs; biotechnologies,pharmaceutiques et obtentions vgtales; secrets de commerce, know-how etconcurrence; licences, franchises et transferts de technologies; commerce lectronique,distribution et droit des affaires; marquage, publicit et tiquetage; poursuite, litige etarbitrage; vrification diligente et audit; et ce, tant au Canada qu'ailleurs dans le monde. Lamatrise des intangibles.ROBIC, a group of lawyers and of patent and trademark agents dedicated since 1892 to theprotection and the valorization of all fields of intellectual property: patents, industrial designsand utility patents; trademarks, certification marks and indications of origin; copyright andentertainment law, artists and performers, neighbouring rights; computer, software andintegrated circuits; biotechnologies, pharmaceuticals and plant breeders; trade secrets,know-how, competition and anti-trust; licensing, franchising and technology transfers; e-commerce, distribution and business law; marketing, publicity and labelling; prosecution

litigation and arbitration; due diligence; in Canada and throughout the world. Ideas livehere.

COPYRIGHTERIDEAS LIVE HEREIL A TOUT DE MME FALLU L'INVENTER!LA MATRISE DES INTANGIBLESLEGER ROBIC RICHARDNOS FENTRES GRANDES OUVERTES SUR LE MONDE DES AFFAIRESPATENTERRROBICROBIC + DROIT +AFFAIRES +SCIENCES +ARTSROBIC ++++ROBIC +LAW +BUSINESS +SCIENCE +ARTTHE TRADEMARKER GROUPTRADEMARKERVOS IDES LA PORTE DU MONDE , DES AFFAIRES LA GRANDEUR DE LA PLANTEYOUR BUSINESS IS THE WORLD OF IDEAS; OUR BUSINESS BRINGS YOUR IDEAS TO THE WORLD

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