Parallel import of patented products means that an importer imports
the patented products which are put into one country by the patentee to
another country, and such import is not authorized by the patentee. With the
development of trade globalization and the strengthening of IP protection,
the issue of parallel import of patented products has become increasingly
prominent. Patent parallel import embodies complex interests, including the
relationship between patentee’s monopoly right and public interest, between
developed and developing countries, between intellectual property protection
and free trade. This kind of complex interests makes patent parallel import
become one of the most controversial issues in the international trade field. This
article will carry on the analysis to the patent product parallel import question.
The first chapter will define the concept of patent product parallel import, the
second chapter will discuss the basic theory of parallel import, the third chapter
will sort out the relevant provisions in the international conventions, and the
fourth chapter will trace back the relevant judicial practice in the United States.