CASE OF COPYRIGHT DISPUTE-- THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY, U.S. V. BEIJING PUBLISHING PRESS, ETC. | | 美国沃尔特·迪斯尼公司诉北京出版社等侵犯著作权纠纷案 |
BASIC FACTS | |
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Plaintiff: The Walt Disney Company, U.S. Address: South Buena Vista Street Burbank, California, U.S.A. | |
原告：美国沃尔特·迪斯尼公司，住所地美国加利福尼亚州班克区布纳·威斯特街５００号。 |
Agent p. p.: Li Jingbing and Yu Xiaofeng, lawyers with Beidou Law Office, Beijing. | |
委托代理人：李静冰、于哮峰，北京市北斗律师事务所律师。 |
Defendant: Beijing Publishing Press. Address: Bei Sanhuanzhong Road No.6, Beijing. | |
被告：北京出版社，住所地北京市北三环中路６号。 |
Legal Representative: Zhu Shuxin, president. | |
法定代表人：朱述新，社长。 |
Agent p. p.: Wang Yadong, lawyer with Jun He Law Office, Beijing. | |
委托代理人：王亚东，北京市君合律师事务所律师。 |
Agent p. p.: Ren Liying, No. 5 Law Office, Beijing. | |
委托代理人：任丽颖，北京市第五律师事务所律师。 |
Defendant: Beijing Children's Publishing Press. Address: Bei Sanhuanzhong Road No.6, Beijing. | |
被告：北京少年儿童出版社，住所地北京市北三环中路６号。 |
Legal Representative: Zhu Shuxin, president. | |
法定代表人：朱述新，社长。 |
Agent p. p.: Wang Yadong, lawyer with Jun He Law Office, Beijing. | |
委托代理人：王亚东，北京市君合律师事务所律师。 |
Agent p. p.: Ren Liying, No. 5 Law Office, Beijing. | |
委托代理人：任丽颖，北京市第五律师事务所律师。 |
Defendant: New China Bookstore Beijing Distribution Center . Address: Xizhimenwai Beilishi Road No.54, Beijing. | |
被告：新华书店总店北京发行所，住所地北京市西直门外北礼士路５４号。 |
Legal Representative: Tianhui, manager. | |
法定代表人：田辉，经理。 |
Agent p. p.: Peng Xuefeng and Zhang Wei, lawyers with Dacheng Law Office, Beijing. | |
委托代理人：彭雪峰、臧炜，北京市大成律师事务所律师。 |
Third Party: Grand World Publishing Co. Ltd. Address: Dongjiaomin Lane No.13, Beijing. | |
第三人：大世界出版有限公司，住所地北京市东交民巷１３号。 |
Legal Representative: Nie Gongcheng, chairman of board. | |
法定代表人：聂功成，董事长。 |
Agent p. p.: Cai Zhensheng, editor-general with Grand World Publishing Co. Ltd. | |
委托代理人：蔡振生，大世界出版有限公司总编辑。 |
Plaintiff The Walt Disney Company brought a suit in Beijing No. 1 Intermediate People's Court against Beijing Publishing Press, Beijing Children's Publishing Press and Beijing Distribution Center of New China Bookstore Headquarter, concerning their copyright infringement. | |
原告美国沃尔特·迪斯尼公司因与被告北京出版社、北京少年儿童出版社、新华书店总店北京发行所侵犯版权纠纷一案，向北京市第一中级人民法院提起诉讼。 |
Plaintiff The Walt Disney Company ( short as Disney Company) claimed: Mickey Mouse, Cinderella, Peter Pan, Snow White and other cartoon characters were the art works created by The Walt Disney Company, the copyright on which had been registered in the United States. However, without permission from the plaintiff, Beijing Publishing Press, Beijing Children's Publishing Press (short as Children's Publishing Press) and Beijing Distribution Center of New China Bookstore (short as Beijing Distribution Center) published, distributed and sold Bambi, Peter Pan and seven other books from the Disney 's Classic Value Stories ( short as Stories), in which the cartoon images belonging to The Walt Disney Company was duplicated. This infringed upon the copyright of The Walt Disney Company, who prayed the court to order the defendants to immediately stop publishing, distributing and selling the said Stories, to give written promise not to infringe upon the plaintiff's copyright again, to apologize publicly in a newspaper published in China and distributed worldwide and to compensate the plaintiff for its loss of more than RMB 1770,000 yuan. | |
原告美国沃尔特·迪斯尼公司（下简称迪斯尼公司）诉称，米奇老鼠、灰姑娘、彼得·潘、白雪公主等卡通人物形象是迪斯尼公司创作的艺术作品，并在美国进行了版权登记，被告北京出版社、北京少年儿童出版社（下简称少儿出版社）、新华书店北京发行所（下简称北京发行所）未经原告许可，出版、发行、销售的《班比交朋友》、《小飞侠的胜利》等９本《迪斯尼的品德故事丛书》（下简称《丛书》）中复制迪斯尼公司的卡通形象，侵犯了迪斯尼公司的版权，请求法院判令被告立即停止出版、发行、销售上述《丛书》，书面保证不再侵犯原告的版权，并在中国出版国内外发行的报纸上公开赔礼道歉，赔偿原告的经济损失１７７万余元人民币。 |
Defendants Beijing Publishing Press and Children's Publishing Press pleaded: the right to use the cartoon images in the Stories published from August 1991 on has been secured through signing the Agreement on Transferring the Simplified Chinese Version of Disney's Children's Books (short as Agreement on Transferring the Simplified Chinese Version) with Maxwell Communication Corporation ( short as Maxwell Corporation). A the same time, in accordance with our House's agreement with Grand World Publishing Co. Ltd. (short as Grand World Company), Grand World Company shall be responsible to provide the certificate of foreign parties' permission to use their copyright, so we were not obliged to directly negotiate matters concerning the copyright. If Grand World Company did not perform its responsibility to provide foreign parties' authorization and caused infringement of the copyright of The Walt Disney Company, the liability shall be solely on Grand Word Company. So Grand World Company shall be added as a defendant. | |
被告北京出版社和少儿出版社辩称，我社１９９１年８月开始出版的《丛书》中涉及的卡通形象，已通过与麦克斯威尔通讯有限公司（下简称麦克斯威尔公司）签订《关于转让迪斯尼儿童读物中文简体本出版合同》（下简称《转让简体本合同》）而获得了使用权，同时根据我社与大世界出版有限公司（下简称大世界公司）的协议，大世界公司负责提供外方确认《丛书》版权的证明，我社没有义务与外方单独联系版权事宜，由于大世界公司未尽到提供外方授权的义务，而造成对迪斯尼公司版权的侵犯，责任完成在大世界公司，应追加大世界公司为被告。 |
Defendant Beijing Distribution Center pleaded: as the distributing department, we were not obliged to check the legitimacy of the copyright of the books. Neither do the ruling laws and international conventions provide that distributing departments shall be liable for torts. At the same time, we had a contract with Beijing Publishing Press before-hand, which provided that Beijing Publishing Press shall be responsible for any tort disputes. | |
被告北京发行所辩称，我所作为经销部门，没有义务审查图书的版权合法性，目前有关法律及国际公约也未规定经销部门应承担侵权责任，同时我所与北京出版社有约在先，发生侵权纠纷应由北京出版社负责。 |
Third party Grand World Company pleaded: as was required by Maxwell Corporation, we were only responsible for negotiating the transfer of copyrights for domestic publishing units and we were not a party to the transfer of copyrights.The contract between Beijing Publishing Press and us was limited to buying films and paying royalties. What's more, this contract was signed one year before Memorandum of Understanding Between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the United States of America on the Protection of Intellectual Property ( short as Sino-U.S. Memorandum) went into effect. After that, Beijing Publishing Press never asked for any certificate, neither did we know anything concerning the continued publishing and distribution. Therefore we should not shoulder any liability for torts. | |
第三人大世界公司述称，我公司仅仅是根据麦克斯威尔公司的要求，代为联系国内出版单位转让版权，并非转让版权的当事者，我公司与北京出版社签订的合同仅限于购买软片和转付版权费，且该合同是在《中华人民共和国政府与美利坚合众国政府关于保护知识产权的谅解备忘录》（下简称《中美备忘录》）生效前１年签订的，此后北京出版社从未向我公司索要过任何证明，我公司也根本不知道他们在《中美备忘录》生效后继续出版发行的情况，故我公司不应承担侵权责任。 |
Beijing No.1 Intermediate People's Court ascertained the following through hearing: | |
北京市第一中级人民法院经审理查明： |
Children's Publishing Press was only another name for Beijing Publishing Press. In fact, it was only an editing department of Beijing Publishing Press, being responsible for distributing juvenile and children's books, and it wasn't an independent legal person. Maxwell Corporation was registered in Hong Kong, which went bankrupt in July, 1993. In February, 1990 Maxwell Corporation and Beijing Xuanwu Consulting Services Department of World Knowledge Publishing House jointly invested to form Grand World Company. At present, the shares that belonged to Maxwell Corporation have been transferred to Ningshi Law Office of U.S. | |
少儿出版社对外是北京出版社的复牌，实际是北京出版社的一个编辑部，负责发行少儿类图书，并非独立法人。麦克斯威尔公司是在香港地区注册的公司，于１９９３年７月破产。麦克斯威尔公司与世界知识出版社北京宣武咨询服务部于１９９０年２月合资成立的大世界公司，现麦克斯威尔公司的股权已转让给美国宁时律师事务所。 |
The copyrights of A BOOK ABOUT KINDNESS, A BOOK ABOUT HELPING and A BOOK ABOUT BRAVERY were registered in the U.S. on November 30, 1987, the copyright of Mickey Mouse was registered in the U.S. on September 2, 1987, and they all belong to The Walt Disney Company. Cinderella, Snow White and Seven Dwarfs, Peter Pan, Bambi , Dumbo, 101 Dalmatians, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, The Lady and the Tramp and Sleeping Beauty were printed and published three times by Beijing Publishing Press in August 1991, November 1992 and November 1993. The cartoon images in them were completely identical with the original English versions provided by the plaintiff. On the cover of all the books of the Stories were the image of Mickey Mouse and were printed 'Disney's Classic Value Stories'. Each copy of the books were priced at 2 yuan. | |
《一本关于善良的书》《一本关于助人的书》、《一本关于勇敢的书》于１９８７年１１月３０日在美国进行了版权登记，米奇老鼠形象于１９８７年９月２日美国办理了版权登记手续，版权属于迪斯尼公司。北京出版社分别于１９９１年８月、１９９２年１１月和１９９３年１１月３次印刷出版的《善良的灰姑娘》、《白雪公主的新家》、《小飞侠的胜利》、《班比交朋友》、《小飞象的成功之路》、《白花狗脱险记》、《爱丽丝梦游奇境》、《忠实的莱蒂》、《王子勇救睡美人》中的卡通形象与原告提供的英文原本完全相同，在９本《丛书》的封面上均有米奇老鼠的形象，并标有《迪斯尼的品德故事丛书》字样，每本定价人民币２元。 |
According to the Agreement dated as of August 19, 1987, by and between The Walt Disney Company and Maxwell Communications Company, 'Licenser grants to licensee the nonexclusive right to publish in the Chinese language only and to sell storybooks based on Walt Disney World Characters. The license and the rights granted hereunder are nonassignable by any of license or by operation of law. The term of this agreement shall be the three (3) year period commencing October 1, 1987, and continuing through and including September 30, 1990. Licensee shall have the right to fill orders from its then remaining stock during a period of one hundred and eighty (180) consecutive days following the expiration date (the "selling period").' Through the introduction by Grand World Company, on March 21, 1991, Maxwell Corporation and Children's Publishing Press signed Agreement on Transferring the Simplified Chinese Version, agreeing 'authorized by The Walt Disney Company, Maxwell Communication Company owns an exclusive right to publish Disney Children's books in Chinese language, and a right to act as agent in copyright trade business of the said books. Maxwell Communication Company transfers the authorization to Beijing Children's Publishing Press.' On the same day, in order to implement the Agreement on Transferring the Simplified Chinese Version, Children's Publishing Press and Grand World Company signed an agreement, stipulating that Children's Publishing Press authorised Grand World Company to finalize the manuscript, to send the manuscript to the compositor and to make plate for characters of Disney children's reading materials. Grand World Company shall guarantee to provide up-to-standard completed simplified Chinese colour films. It shall also be responsible to provide Children's Publishing Press with the contract for the validation of the copyright of the Disney Stories by foreign parties, which was to be the legal certificate of the Chinese domestic copyright enjoyed by Children's Publishing Press. After this, Grand World Company was payed RMB 69,750 yuan for the films of the Stories, of which 59,312.4 yuan was the cost, and the profit was 10,437.6 yuan. | |
迪斯尼公司与麦克斯威尔公司于１９８７年８月１９日签订协议，约定“迪斯尼公司仅授予麦克斯威尔公司出版汉语出版物的非独占性权利，只能在中国出售以迪斯尼乐园角色为体裁的故事书，本协议所给予的许可权不得以被许可方的任何行为或通过法律程序进行转让，合同期限自１９８７年１０月１日至１９９０年９月３０日，自斯满日后有１８０天的全部售完期限。”经大世界公司介绍，麦克斯威尔公司与少儿出版社于１９９１年３月２１日签订了《转让简体本合同》，约定：“麦克斯威尔公司经迪斯尼公司授权，拥有迪斯尼儿童读物中文的专有出版权，并有权代理该读物的版权贸易业务，麦克斯威尔公司将迪斯尼公司的授权转让给少儿出版社。”当天，少儿出版社与大世界公司为落实《转让简体本合同》签订了协议书，约定少儿出版社委托大世界公司将迪斯尼儿童读物文字进行定稿、发排、制版，大世界公司保证提供合格的中文简体字彩色版制成软片，大世界公司负责向少儿出版社提供外方确认迪斯尼丛书的版权合同书，作为少儿出版社在中国境内享有版权的合法依据。之后，大世界公司获得《丛书》软片费人民币６９７５０元，支出成本５９３１２．４元，获利１０４３７．６元。 |
On March 11, 1992, Children's Publishing Press submitted the Agreement on Transferring the Simplified Chinese Version to Beijing Copyright Bureau for review. Because there wasn't authorization from The Walt Disney Company, it wasn't registered with the Bureau, and Children's Publishing Press didn't re-apply for registration, either. | |
少儿出版社曾于１９９２年３月１１日将《转让简体本合同》送北京市版权局审核，由于未出具迪斯尼公司的授权书，该局未予办理登记手续，后来少儿出版社也未补办登记手续。 |
According to another investigation, a working agreement was signed between Beijing Publishing Press and Beijing Distribution Center on February 1,1991, stipulating 'if a book is exclusively sold, the Publishing House shall add the note " distributed by New China Bookstore" to its copyright page.'It was also agreed that ' when publishing foreign works or books, the Publishing House shall sign a publishing contract with the copyright owner and submit the contract to copyright administration organs for check, review and registration, and only after obtaining a registration number shall they be given to Beijing Distribution Center for offer to sell and arrangement of publishing. Otherwise, all the copyright disputes with foreign factors during publishing, distribution and selling shall be the responsibility of the Publishing House.' Although on the copyright page of the Stories was printed 'Distributed by Beijing Distribution Center of New China Bookstore', it shall be 'Published by Beijing Publishing Press and Distributed by New China Bookstore.' | |
另查，北京出版社与北京发行所于１９９１年２月１日签订了一个工作协议，约定：“属于包销图书，出版社要在版权页上注明‘新华书店经销'字样。”此外还约定：“出版国外作品或图书，出版社要与版权所有者签订出版合同，并将合同报版权管理机关审核登记，获登记号后再交北京发行所征订和安排出版，否则出现出版、发行、经销的一切涉外版权纠纷一律由出版社负责。”《丛书》的版权页上虽然写着“新华书店北京发行所发行”，但实际应写为“北京出版社总发行，新华书店经销。” |
When trying the case, the court entrusted Beijing Tianzheng Accoutant's Office to audit the profits made through the publishing and distribution of the Stories by Beijing Publishing Press and Beijing Distribution Center. | |
在审理过程中，该院委托北京天正会计师事务所对北京出版社和北京发行所的出版、发行《丛书》的营利状况进行了审计，情况如下： |
The results were as follows: After March 17, 1992, when the Sino-U.S. Memorandum came into force, Beijing Publishing Press published 118,200 copies of the Stories, of which 41,779 copies were distributed by itself and 33,341 were in store. 43,080 copies were entrusted to Beijing Distribution Center to distribute. The cost incurred by Beijing Publishing Press were RMB 116,353.86 yuan, taxes 6,679.01 yuan, and the loss was 40,197.50 yuan. Beijing Distribution Center's total income from the distribution was RMB 62,850.17 yuan, total buying price 56,112.60 yuan, taxes 738.53 yuan, and gross profit 5,999.04 yuan. | |
１９９２年３月１７日《中美备忘录》生效后，北京出版社出版《丛书》１１８２００册，其中，自己发行４１７７９册，库存３３３４１册，委托北京发行所发行４３０８０册。北京出版社生产成本人民币１１６３５３．８６元，税金６６７９．０１，实际亏损４０１９７．５０元；北京发行所发行总收入人民币６２８５０．１７元，发行进价５６１１２．６０元，纳税７３８．５３元，毛利５９９９９．０４元。 |
Beijing Distribution Center disagreed with the auditing results above, proposing that when determining gross profits, distributing cost shall be deducted, which the audition didn't do. | |
对上述审计情况，北京发行所提出异议，认为确定发行毛利，应当扣除发行费用，而审计未将发行费用扣除。 |
The Walt Disney Company payed RMB869,564.8 yuan to law offices in Beijing and in the U.S.for the present suit. RMB 1,280 yuan was payed for translation, 1,216.6 yuan for communications. | |
迪斯尼公司为本诉讼向北京和美国等地的律师事务所总计支付律师费８６９５６４．８元人民币。另支出翻译费１２８０元人民币，交通费１２１６．６元人民币。 |
The facts above were supported with publishing house registration certificate, expository materials of Children's Publishing Press, note from Department for Enterprises Registration of the State Administration for Industry and Commerce, registration form for copyrights, original books, Stories, Agreement Between The Walt Disney Company and Maxwell Corporation, Agreement on Transferring the Simplified Chinese Version , Agreement Between Grand World Company and Children's Publishing Press, invoice of Grand World Company, certificate from Beijing City Copyright Bureau, certificate from State Copyright Bureau, Working Agreement for Publishing and Distribution, certificate from Beijing Publishing Press, auditing report, receipt voucher and other written evidence and statements of the parties.
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以上事实，有出版社登记证、少儿出版社情况说明、国家工商行政管理局企业登记司便函、版权登记表、原版图书、《丛书》、《迪斯尼公司与麦克斯威尔公司协议书》、《转让简体本合同》、《大世界公司与少儿出版社协议书》、大世界公司发票、北京市版权局证明、国家版权局证明、《出版、发行工作协议》、北京出版社证明、审计报告、收费单据等书证及当事人陈述在案佐证。
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