美国版权法首次销售原则的最新发展——美国联邦最高法院“吉尔特桑诉威利父子公司案”判决评析

The Latest Development of the “First Sale” Doctrine in the Copyright Law of U.S.A.: A Case Comment on KIRTSAENG v. JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. by Supreme Court of the United States

美国联邦最高法院通过"吉尔特桑诉威利父子公司案"判决最终解决了在美国一直悬而未决的版权国际穷竭问题。它首次明确指出版权领域首次销售原则的适用范围与合法生产该版权产品的地理区域无关,既适用于美国国内合法生产的版权产品,也适用于国外合法生产的版权产品。美国最高司法机关在处理知识产权保护与贸易自由化关系问题上的务实立场为我国修订《著作权法》带来一定的启示。

According to the court decision in KIRTSAENG v. JOHN WILEY ＆ SONS, INC. by Supreme Court of the United States, the ＂first sale＂ doctrine not only applies to copies lawfully made inside the United States, but also applies to copies lawfully made outside the United States. The pragmatic attitude of the highest judicial organs of the United States towards the tough issue of international exhaustion of copyrights brings us some inspiration when revising our Copyright Law.