B. notice to be given to an applicant of the reasons for the refusal to register a trademark;
C. a reasonable opportunity for the applicant to respond to the notice;
D. publication of each trademark either before or promptly after itis registered; and
E. areasonable opportunity for interested persons to petition to cancel the registration of a trademark.
5. The nature of the goods or services to which a trademark is to be applied shall in no case form an obstacle to the registration of a trademark.
6. Article 6bis of the Paris Convention shall apply, with such modifications as may be necessary, to services. In determining whether a trademark is well-known, account shall be taken of the knowledge of the trademark in the relevant sector of the public, including knowledge in the Party's territory obtained as a result of the promotion of the trademark. Neither Party may require that the reputation of the trademark extend beyond the sector of the public that normally deals with the relevant goods or services or that the trademark be registered.
7. Each Party shall use the International Classification of Goods and Services for registration. Neither Party shall use such classification as the only basis for determining the likelihood of confusion.
8. Each Party shall provide that the initial registration of a trademark be for a term of at least 10 years, and that the registration be indefinitely renewable for terms of not less than 10 years when conditions for renewal have been met.
9. Each Party shall require the use of a trademark to maintain a registration. The registration may be canceled for the reason of non-use only after an uninterrupted period of at least three years of non-use, unless valid reasons based on the existence of obstacles to such use are shown by the trademark owner. The law shall recognize, as valid reasons for non- use, circumstances arising independently of the will of the trademark owner that constitute an obstacle to the use of the trademark, such as import restrictions on, or other government requirements for, goods or services identified by the trademark.
10. Each Party shall recognize the use of a trademark by a person other than the trademark owner, where such use is subject to the owner's control, as use of the trademark for purposes of maintaining the registration.
11. Neither Party may encumber the use of a trademark in commerce by special requirements, such as a use that reduces the trademark's function as an indication of source or a use with another trademark.
12. A Party may determine conditions on the licensing and assignment of trademarks, it being understood that the compulsory licensing of trademarks shall not be permitted. The owner of a registered trademark shall have the right to assign its trademark with or without the transfer of the business to which the trademark belongs. However, a Party may require a transfer of goodwill in a mark as part of a valid transfer of the mark.
13. A Party may provide limited exceptions to the rights conferred by a trademark, such as fair use of descriptive terms, provided that such exceptions take into account the legitimate interests of the trademark owner and of other persons.
14. A Party may refuse to register trademarks that consist of or comprise immoral, deceptive or scandalous matter, or matter that may disparage or falsely suggest a connection with persons, living or dead, institutions, beliefs or a Party's national symbols, or bring them into contempt or disrepute. Each Party shall prohibit the registration as a trademark of words that generically designate goods or services or types of goods or services to which the trademark applies.
Article 7. Patents
1. Subject to the provision of paragraph 2 of this Article, each Party shall make patents available for any invention, whether a product or process, in all fields of technology, provided that such invention is new, resulted from an inventive step and is capable of industrial application. For purposes of this Article, a Party may deem the terms "inventive step" and "capable of industrial application" to be synonymous with the terms "non- obvious" and "useful", respectively.
2. Parties may exclude from patentability:
A. inventions, the prevention within their territory of the commercial exploitation of which is necessary to protect public order or morality, including to protect human, animal or plant life or health or to avoid serious prejudice to the environment, provided that such exclusion is not made merely because the exploitation is prohibited by their law;
B. diagnostic, therapeutic and surgical methods for the treatment of humans or animals;
C. essentially biological processes for the production of plants or animals other than non-biological and microbiological processes; animal varieties; plant varieties. The exclusion for plant varieties is limited to those plant varieties that satisfy the definition provided in Article 1(vi) of the UPOV Convention (1991); such definition shall apply mutatis mutandis to animal varieties. The exclusions for plant and animal varieties shall not apply to plant or animal inventions that could encompass more than one variety. Moreover, the Parties shall provide for the protection of plant varieties by an effective sui generis system in accordance with subparagraph 3.D of Article 1 of this Chapter.
3. Each Party shall provide that:
A. where the subject matter of a patent is a product, the patent shall confer on the patent owner the right to prevent other persons from making, using, selling, offering for sale or importing for these purposes the subject matter of the patent, without the patent owner's consent; and
B. where the subject matter of a patent is a process, the patent shall confer on the patent owner the right to prevent other persons from using that process and from using, selling, offering for sale or importing for these purposes at least the product obtained directly by that process, without the patent owner's consent.
4. A Party may provide limited exceptions to the exclusive rights conferred by a patent, provided that such exceptions do not conflict with anormal exploitation of the patent and do not unreasonably prejudice the legitimate interests of the patent owner.
5. Patents shall be available and patent rights enjoyable without discrimination as to the field of technology or whether products are imported or locally produced.
6. A Party may revoke a patent only when grounds exist that would have justified a refusal to grant the patent.
7. Each Party shall permit patent owners to assign and transfer by succession their patents, and to conclude licensing contracts.
8. A Party may decline to allow use without the authorization of the right holder of a patent. However, where the law of a Party allows for use of the subject matter of a patent, other than use allowed under paragraph 4, without the authorization of the right holder, including use by the government or other persons authorized by the government, the Party shall respect the following provisions:
A. authorization of such use shall be considered on its individual merits;
B. such use may be permitted only if, prior to such use, the proposed user has made efforts to obtain authorization from the right holder on reasonable commercial terms and conditions and such efforts have not been successful within a reasonable period of time. The requirement to make such efforts may be waived by a Party in the case of a national emergency or other circumstances of extreme urgency or in cases of public non-commercial use. In situations of national emergency or other circumstances of extreme urgency, the right holder shall, nevertheless, be notified as soon as reasonably practicable. In the case of public non-commercial use, where the government or contractor, without making a patent search, knows or has demonstrable grounds to know that a valid patent is or will be used by or for the goverment, the right holder shall be informed promptly;
C. the scope and duration of such use shall be limited to the purpose for which it was authorized, and in the case of semiconductor technology shall only be for public non-commercial use or to remedy a practice determined after judicial or administrative process to be anti-competitive;
D. such use shall be non-exclusive;
E. such use shall be non-assignable, except with that part of the enterprise or goodwill that enjoys such use;
F. any such use shall be authorized predominantly for the supply of the Party's domestic market;
G. authorization for such use shall be liable, subject to adequate protection of the legitimate interests of the persons so authorized, to be terminated if and when the circumstances that led to it cease to exist and are unlikely to recur. The competent authority shall have the authority to review, on petition of an interested party, the continued existence of these circumstances;
H. the right holder shall be paid adequate remuneration in the circumstances of each case, taking into account the economic value of the authorization;
I. the legal validity of any decision relating to the authorization shall be subject to judicial or other independent review by a distinct higher authority;
J. any decision relating to the remuneration provided in respect of such use shall be subject to judicial or other independent review by a distinct higher authority;
K. the Party shall not be obliged to apply the conditions set out in subparagraphs B and F of this Article where such use is permitted to remedy a practice determined after judicial or administrative process to be anticompetitive. The need to correct anti- competitive practices may be taken into account in determining the amount of remuneration in such cases. Competent authorities shall have the authority to refuse termination of authorization if and when the conditions that led to such authorization are likely to recur; and
L. the Party shall not authorize the use of the subject matter of a patent to permit the exploitation of another patent except as a remedy for an adjudicated violation of domestic laws regarding anticompetitive practices.
9. Where the subject matter of a patent is a process for obtaining a product, each Party shall, in any infringement proceeding, place on the defendant the burden of establishing that the allegedly infringing product was made by a process other than the patented process in one or more of the following situations:
A. the product obtained by the patented process is new; or
B. a substantial likelihood exists that the allegedly infringing product was made by the process and the patent owner has been unable through reasonable efforts to determine the process actually used.
In the gathering and evaluation of evidence, the legitimate interests of the defendant in protecting its trade secrets shall be taken into account.
10. Each Party shall provide a term of protection for patents that shall not end before the expiration of a period of twenty years counted from the date of filing. A Party may extend the term of patent protection, in appropriate cases, to compensate for delays caused by regulatory approval processes.
Article 8. Layout Designs (Topographies) of Integrated Circuits
1. Each Party shall protect layout designs (topographies) of integrated circuits ("layout designs") in accordance with Articles 2 through 7, 12 and 16(3), other than Article 6(3), of the Treaty on Intellectual Property in Respect of Integrated Circuits as opened for signature on May 26, 1989, and, in addition, shall comply with the provisions of paragraphs 2 through 8 of this Article.
2. Subject to paragraph 3, each Party shall make it unlawful for any person without the right holder's authorization to reproduce, import or distribute a protected layout design, an integrated circuit in which a protected layout design is incorporated, or an article incorporating such an integrated circuit only insofar as it continues to contain an unlawfully reproduced layout design.
3. Neither Party may make unlawful any of the acts referred to in paragraph 2 performed in respect of an integrated circuit that incorporates an unlawfully reproduced layout design, or any article that incorporates such an integrated circuit, where the person performing those acts or ordering those acts to be done did not know and had no reasonable ground to know, when it acquired the integrated circuit or article incorporating such an integrated circuit, that it incorporated an unlawfully reproduced layout design.
4. Each Party shall provide that, after the person referred to in paragraph 3 has received sufficient notice that the layout design was unlawfully reproduced, such person may perform any of the acts with respect to the stock on hand or ordered before such notice, but shall be liable to pay the right holder for doing so an amount equivalent to a reasonable royalty such as would be payable under a freely negotiated license in respect of such a layout design.
5. Neither Party may permit the compulsory licensing of layout designs of integrated circuits.
6. Any Party that requires registration as a condition for protection of a layout design shall provide that the term of protection shall not end before the expiration of a period of 10 years counted from the date of filing an application for registration or from the date on which the layout design is first commercially exploited in the world, whichever occurs first.
7. Where a Party does not require registration as a condition for protection of a layout design, the Party shall provide a term of protection of not less than 10 years from the date of the first commercial exploitation of the layout design, wherever in the world it occurs.
8. Notwithstanding paragraphs 6 and 7, a Party may provide that the protection shall lapse 15 years after the creation of the layout design.
Article 9. Confidential Information (Trade Secrets)
1. In the course of ensuring effective protection against unfair competition as provided in Article 10bis of the Paris Convention (1967), each Party shall protect confidential information in accordance with paragraph 2 below and data submitted to government or governmental agencies in accordance with paragraphs 5 and 6 below.
2. Each Party shall provide the legal means for any person to prevent confidential information from being disclosed to, acquired by, or used by others without the consent of the person lawfully in control of the information in a manner contrary to honest commercial practices, in so far as, and for so long as:
A. the information is not generally known or readily ascertainable;
B. the information has commercial value because it is secret; and
C. the person lawfully in control of the information has taken reasonable steps under the circumstances to keep it secret.
3. For the purposes of this Agreement, "in a manner contrary to honest commercial practices" shall mean at least practices such as breach of contract, breach of confidence and inducement to breach, and includes the acquisition of undisclosed information by third parties who knew, or were negligent in failing to know, that such practices were involved in the acquisition.
4. Neither Party may discourage or impede the voluntary licensing of confidential information by imposing excessive or discriminatory conditions on such licenses or conditions that dilute the value of the confidential information.
5. If a Party requires, as a condition for approving the marketing of pharmaceutical or agrochemical products, the submission of undisclosed test or other data, the origination of which involves a considerable effort, the Party shall protect such data against unfair commercial use. In addition, each Party shall protect such data against disclosure, except where necessary to protect the public.
6. Each Party shall provide that for data of a type referenced in paragraph 5 that are submitted to the Party after the date of entry into force of this Agreement, no other applicant for product approval may, without permission of the person that submitted them, rely on that data in support of an application for product approval during a reasonable period of time after their submission. For this purpose, a reasonable period shall normally mean not less than five years from the date on which the Party granted approval to the person that produced the data for approval to market its product, taking into account the nature of the data and the person's efforts and expenditures in producing them.
Article 10. Industrial Designs
1. Each Party shall provide for the protection of independently created industrial designs that are new or original. A Party may provide that:
A. designs are not new or original if they do not significantly differ from known designs or combinations of known design features; and
B. such protection shall not extend to designs dictated essentially by technical or functional considerations.
2. Each Party shall ensure that the requirements for securing protection for textile designs, in particular in regard to any cost, examination or publication, do not unreasonably impair a person's opportunity to seek and obtain such protection. A Party may comply with this obligation through industrial design law or copyright law.
3. Each Party shall provide the owner of a protected industrial design the right to prevent other persons not having the owner's consent from making, selling, importing or otherwise distributing articles bearing or embodying a design that is a copy, or substantially a copy, of the protected design, when such acts are undertaken for commercial purposes.
4. A Party may provide limited exceptions to the protection of industrial designs, provided that such exceptions do not conflict with the normal exploitation of protected industrial designs and do not unreasonably prejudice the legitimate interests of the owner of the protected design.
5. Each Party shall provide a term of protection for industrial designs available for the amount of at least 10 years.
Article 11. Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights
1. As specified in this Article and Articles 12 through 15 hereof, each Party shall provide procedures in its domestic law that permit effective action against infringement of the intellectual property rights covered by this Chapter. These procedures shall include expeditious remedies to prevent infringement and remedies substantial enough to deter future infringement. Each Party shall apply enforcement procedures in a manner that does not create barriers to legitimate trade and contains effective safeguards against abuse.
2. Each Party shall ensure that its enforcement procedures are fair and equitable, are not unnecessarily complicated or costly, and do not entail unreasonable time limits or unwarranted delays.
3. Each Party shall ensure that decisions on the merits of a case in judicial and administrative enforcement proceedings are:
A. in writing and state the reasons on which the decisions are based;
B. made available without undue delay at least to the parties in a proceeding; and
C. based only on evidence in respect of which such parties were offered the opportunity to be heard.
4. Each Party shall ensure that parties in a proceeding have an opportunity to have final administrative decisions reviewed by a judicial authority of that Party and, subject to jurisdictional provisions in its domestic laws concerning the importance of a case, to have reviewed at least the legal aspects of initial judicial decisions on the merits of a case. Notwithstanding the above, neither Party shall be required to provide for judicial review of acquittals in criminal cases.
Article 12. Specific Procedural and Remedial Aspects of Civil and Administrative Procedures
1. Each Party shall make available to right holders civil judicial procedures for the enforcement of any intellectual property right covered by this Agreement. Each Party shall provide that:
A. defendants have the right to written notice that is timely and contains sufficient detail, including the basis of the claims;
B. parties in a proceeding are allowed to be represented by independent legal counsel;
C. enforcement procedures do not include imposition of overly burdensome requirements concerning mandatory personal appearances;
D. all parties in a proceeding are duly entitled to substantiate their claims and to present relevant evidence; and
E. the procedures include a means to identify and protect confidential information.
2. Each Party shall authorize its judicial authorities:
A. where a party ina proceeding has presented reasonably available evidence sufficient to support its claims and has specified evidence relevant to the substantiation of its claims that is within the control of the opposing party, to order the opposing party to produce such evidence, subject in appropriate cases to conditions that ensure the protection of confidential information;
B. where a party in a proceeding voluntarily and without good reason refuses access to, or otherwise does not provide relevant evidence under that party's control within a reasonable period, or significantly impedes a proceeding relating to an enforcement action, to make preliminary and final determinations, affirmative or negative, on the basis of the evidence presented, including the complaint or the allegation presented by the party adversely affected by the denial of access to evidence, subject to providing the parties an opportunity to be heard on the allegations or evidence;
C. to order a party in a proceeding to desist from an infringement, including measures to prevent the entry into the channels of commerce of imported goods that involve the infringement of an intellectual property right, immediately after customs clearance of such goods.
D. to order the infringer of an intellectual property right to pay the right holder damages adequate to compensate for the injury the right holder has suffered because of the infringement and the profits of the infringer that are attributable to the infringement and are not taken into account in computing the actual damages;
E. to order an infringer of an intellectual property right to pay the right holder's expenses, which may include appropriate attorney's fees; and
F. to order a party ina proceeding at whose request measures were taken and who has abused enforcement procedures to provide adequate compensation to any party wrongfully enjoined or restrained in the proceeding for the injury suffered because of such abuse and to pay that party's expenses, which may include appropriate attorney's fees.
3. With respect to the authority referred to in subparagraph 2.D, a Party shall, at least with respect to works protected by copyright or neighboring rights, provide judicial authorities with the authority to order the payment of pre-established damages. Judicial authorities shall exercise such authority at their discretion.
4. Each Party shall, in order to create an effective deterrent to infringement and counterfeiting, authorize its judicial authorities to order that:
A. goods that they have found to be infringing be, without compensation of any sort, disposed of outside the channels of commerce in such a manner as to avoid any injury caused to the right holder or, unless this would be contrary to existing constitutional requirements, destroyed; and
B. materials and implements the predominant use of which has been in the creation of the infringing goods be, without compensation of any sort, disposed of outside the channels of commerce in such a manner as to minimize the risks of further infringements.
In considering whether to issue such an order, judicial authorities shall take into account the need for proportionality between the seriousness of the infringement and the remedies ordered, as well as the interests of other persons. In regard to counterfeit trademark goods, the simple removal of the trademark unlawfully affixed shall not be sufficient, other than in exceptional cases, to permit release of the goods into the channels of commerce.
5. In respect of the administration of any law pertaining to the protection or enforcement of intellectual property rights, each Party may exempt public authorities and officials from liability, unless their actions were not taken or intended in good faith in the course of the administration of such laws.
6. Notwithstanding the other provisions of Articles 11 through 15 of this Chapter, in any case of infringement of an intellectual property right brought against a Party to this Agreement, remedies available against that Party may be limited to the payment to the right holder of adequate remuneration in the circumstances of each case, taking into account the economic value of the use.
7. Each Party shall provide that, where a civil remedy can be ordered as a result of administrative procedures on the merits of a case, such procedures shall conform to principles equivalent in substance to those set out in this Article.
Article 13. Provisional Measures
1. Each Party shall authorize its judicial authorities to order prompt and effective provisional measures:
A. to prevent an infringement of any intellectual property right, and in particular to prevent the entry into the channels of commerce in their jurisdiction of allegedly infringing goods, including imported goods immediately after customs clearance; and
B. to preserve relevant evidence in regard to the alleged infringement.
2. Each Party shall authorize its judicial authorities to require any applicant for provisional measures to provide to the judicial authorities any evidence reasonably available to that applicant that the judicial authorities consider necessary to enable them to determine with a sufficient degree of certainty whether:
A. the applicant is the right holder;
B. the applicant's right is being infringed or such infringement is imminent; and
C. any delay in the issuance of such measures is likely to cause irreparable harm to the right holder, or there is a demonstrable risk of evidence being destroyed.
Each Party shall authorize its judicial authorities to require the applicant to provide a security or equivalent assurance sufficient to protect the interests of the defendant and to prevent abuse.
3. Each Party shall authorize its judicial authorities to require an applicant for provisional measures to provide other information necessary for the identification of the relevant goods by the authority that will execute the provisional measures.
4. Each Party shall authorize its judicial authorities to order provisional measures on an ex parte basis, in particular where any delay is likely to cause irreparable harm to the right holder, or where there is a demonstrable risk of evidence being destroyed.
5. Each Party shall authorize that where provisional measures are adopted by that Party's judicial authorities on an ex parte basis:
A. a person affected shall be given notice of those measures without delay but in any event no later than immediately after the execution of the measures;
B. a defendant shall, on request, have those measures reviewed by that Party's judicial authorities for the purpose of deciding, within a reasonable period after notice of those measures is given, whether the measures shall be modified, revoked or confirmed, and shall be given an opportunity to be heard in the review proceedings.
6. Without prejudice to paragraph 5, each Party shall provide that, on the request of the defendant, the Party's judicial authorities shall revoke or otherwise cease to apply the provisional measures taken on the basis of paragraphs 1 and 4 if proceedings leading to a decision on the merits are not initiated:
A. within a reasonable period as determined by the judicial authority ordering the measures where the Party's domestic law so permits; or
B. in the absence of such a determination, within a period of no more than 20 working days or 31 calendar days, whichever is longer.
7. Each Party shall authorize its judicial authorities to order, on request of the defendant, that the applicant provide compensation for injury caused by provisional measures:
A. if the provisional measures are revoked or lapse because of any act or omission of the applicant, or
B. if the judicial authorities subsequently find there has been no infringement or threat of infringement of any intellectual property right.
8. Each Party shall provide that, where a provisional measure can be ordered as a result of administrative procedures, such procedures shall conform to principles equivalent in substance to those set out in this Article.
Article 14. Criminal Procedures and Penalties
1. Each Party shall provide criminal procedures and penalties to be applied at least in cases of willful trademark counterfeiting or infringement of copyrights or neighboring rights on a commercial scale. Each Party shall provide that penalties available include imprisonment or monetary fines, or both, sufficient to provide a deterrent, consistent with the level of penalties applied for crimes of a corresponding gravity.
2. Each Party shall provide that, in appropriate cases, its judicial authorities may order the seizure, forfeiture and destruction of infringing goods and of any materials and implements the predominant use of which has been in the commission of the offense.
3. Each Party may provide that, in appropriate cases, its judicial authorities may impose criminal penalties for the infringement of intellectual property rights other than those in paragraph 1 of this Article, where they are committed wilfully and on a commercial scale.
Article 15. Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights at the Border
1. Each Party shall adopt procedures to enable a right holder, who has valid grounds for suspecting that the importation of counterfeit trademark goods or unauthorized copies of works protected by copyrights or neighboring rights may take place, to lodge an application in writing with its competent authorities, whether administrative or judicial, for the suspension by the customs administration of the release of such goods into free circulation. No Party shall be obligated to apply such procedures to goods in transit. A Party may permit such an application to be made in respect of goods that involve other infringements of intellectual property rights, provided that the requirements of this Article are met. A Party may also provide for corresponding procedures concerning the suspension by the customs administration of the release of infringing goods destined for exportation from its territory.
2. Each Party shall require any applicant who initiates procedures under paragraph 1 to provide adequate evidence:
A. to satisfy that Party's competent authorities that, under its domestic laws, there is prima facie an infringement of its intellectual property right; and
B. to supply a sufficiently detailed description of the goods to make them readily recognizable by the customs administration.
The competent authorities shall inform the applicant within a reasonable period whether they have accepted the application and, if so, the period for which the customs administration will take action.
3. Each Party shall authorize its competent authorities to require an applicant under paragraph 1 to provide a security or equivalent assurance sufficient to protect the defendant and the competent authorities and to prevent abuse. Such security or equivalent assurance shall not unreasonably deter recourse to these procedures.
4. A Party's customs administration, upon receiving an application pursuant to procedures adopted in accordance with this Article, may suspend the release of goods involving industrial designs, patents, integrated circuits or trade secrets into free circulation on the basis of a decision other than by a judicial or other independent authority; provided, however, if the period set forth in paragraphs 6 through 8 has expired without the granting of provisional relief by the duly empowered authority, and provided that all other conditions for importation have been complied with, such Party shall permit the owner, importer or consignee of such goods to receive such goods for entry into commerce on the posting of a security in an amount sufficient to protect the right holder against any infringement. Payment of such security shall not prejudice any other remedy available to the right holder, it being understood that the security shall be released if the right holder fails to pursue its right of action within a reasonable period of time.
5. Each Party shall ensure that its customs administration will promptly notify the importer and the applicant when the customs administration suspends the release of goods pursuant to paragraph 1.
6. Each Party shall ensure that its customs administration will release goods from suspension if within a period not exceeding 10 working days after the applicant under paragraph 1 has been served notice of the suspension the customs administration has not been informed that:
A. a party other than the defendant has initiated proceedings leading to a decision on the merits of the case, or
B. a competent authority has taken provisional measures prolonging the suspension, provided that all other conditions for importation or exportation have been met. Each Party shall provide that, in appropriate cases, the customs administration may extend the suspension by another 10 working days.
7. Each Party shall ensure that if proceedings leading to a decision on the merits of the case have been initiated, a review, including a right to be heard, shall take place on request of the defendant with a view to deciding, within a reasonable period, whether the measures shall be modified, revoked or confirmed.
8. Notwithstanding paragraphs 6 and 7, where the suspension of the release of goods is carried out or continued in accordance with a provisional judicial measure, Article 13.6 of this Chapter shall apply.
9. Each Party shall ensure that its competent authorities have the authority to order the applicant under paragraph 1 to pay the importer, the consignee and the owner of the goods appropriate compensation for any injury caused to them through the wrongful detention of goods or through the detention of goods released pursuant to paragraph 6.
10. Without prejudice to the protection of confidential information, each Party shall ensure that its competent authorities have the authority to give the right holder sufficient opportunity to have any goods detained by the customs administration inspected in order to substantiate its claims. Each Party shall also ensure that its competent authorities have the authority to give the importer an equivalent opportunity to have any such goods inspected. Where the competent authorities have made a positive determination on the merits of a case, a Party may provide the competent authorities the authority to inform the right holder of the names and addresses of the consignor, the importer and the consignee, and of the quantity of the goods in question.
11. Where a Party requires its competent authorities to act on their own initiative and to suspend the release of goods in respect of which they have acquired prima facie evidence that an intellectual property right is being infringed:
A. The competent authorities may at any time seek from the right holder any information that might assist them to exercise these powers;
B. the importer and the right holder shall be promptly notified of the suspension by the Partyâs competent authorities, and where the importer lodges an appeal against the suspension with competent authorities, the suspension shall be subject to the conditions, with such modifications as may be necessary, set out in paragraphs 6 through 8; and
C. the Party may exempt public authorities and officials from liability, except when the offending actions were not taken or intended in good faith.
12. Without prejudice to other rights of action open to the right holder and subject to the defendant's right to seek judicial review, each Party shall provide that its competent authorities shall have the authority to order the destruction or disposal of infringing goods in accordance with the principles set out in Article 12.4 of this Chapter. In regard to counterfeit trademark goods, the authorities shall not allow the re-exportation of the infringing goods in an unaltered state or subject them to a different customs procedure, other than in exceptional circumstances.
13. A Party may exclude from the application of paragraphs 1 through 12 small quantities of goods of a non-commercial nature contained in travelersâ personal luggage or sent in small consignments that are not repetitive.