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Trademark Definition by the EC Court of Justice

Trademark Definition by the EC Court of Justice. NO N EU. C O M M U N I T Y T R A D E M A R K + (Design). E U R O P E A N P A T E N T. C O M M U N I T Y P A T E N T. PORT. SPA. FR. IT. BE. NE. LUX. GERM. AUS. FIN. GR. DEN. SWE.

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Trademark Definition by the EC Court of Justice

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  1. Trademark Definition by the EC Court of Justice

  2. NON EU C O M M U N I T Y T R A D E M A R K + (Design) E U R O P E A N P A T E N T C O M M U N I T Y P A T E N T PORT SPA FR IT BE NE LUX GERM AUS FIN GR DEN SWE ENG IRE

  3. Harmonisation of the various national trade mark laws Introduction of one comprehensive system Harmonisation and unification of trademark law in Europe • REGULATION 1993 • Directive 1988 Two complementary systems

  4. Goal 1 : unification Council Regulation n° 40/94 on the Community Trademark, 20 December 1993 = directly applicable

  5. Annual report OHIM 1998 “even the most optimistic forecasts have been exceeded” 1996 - 1998 +/- 102.000 applications Statistics August 2002 : 278.000 (157.370)

  6. Main features of the CTM • Autonomy (art. 14.1)  subject only to Regulation • Uniformity (art. 1.2) same effect throughout the community • Co-existence Alternative for national systems

  7. Goal 2 : harmonisation “First Council directive to approximate the Laws of the Member States relating to Trade Marksof 21 December 1988 ”

  8. Structure and contents TMD • Protectable signs (nature of marks) • Grounds of refusal and cancellation • Scope of protection (exclusive rights) • Exhaustion • Licensees, acquiescense, use, revocation • Collective and certification marks 'may' 'shall'

  9. Not regulated in TMD (differences in national law) • Kinds of marks to be registered • Procedural rules re: • application and registration proceedings • refusal • invalidity • infringement • Application of other laws

  10. Court of Justice Court of first Instance Board of appeal Decision National Court

  11. A Mark = a Sign Article 4 CTM A Community trade mark may consist of : • any sign • capable of being represented graphically • capable of distinguishing goods/services of one undertakingfrom those of other undertakings Function of a mark

  12. Personal names designs letters numerals shape of goods packaging of goods "Any sign" : art. 4 CTM "including" Art. 2 TMDArt. 15.2 TRIPS

  13. VISUALLY "Any sign" : art. 2 TMD & 4 CTM • Clear, precise GraphicRepresentation • Self-contained • Easily accessible • Intelligible • Durable • Objective

  14. Word marks Figurative marks Word marks, Figurative marks “instantly perceived as a sign”

  15. Shape marks Linde, Winward, Rado 8 April 2003 Philips/Remington 18 June 2002

  16. Shape marks Preliminary obstacle for particular shapes (3.1.e TMD = 7.1.e CTMR): • Nature of goods • Necessary for technical result • Substantial value to the goods Afterwards no stricter criteria

  17. Colour marks • Combinations of colours: art.15 TRIPS • Element of complex marks • Single Colour ? ?

  18. YES NO Colour marks:Benelux BELGACOM Cass. 22.12.00 LIBERTELCA The Hague 4.06.98

  19. Libertel 06.052003 • A colour per se is capable … if representation = • clear • precise • self-contained • easily accessible • intelligible • durable • objective NO • YES : possibly • + description • + intern. Colour code • + combinations AND

  20. Olfactory marks Case Sieckmann (C.J. 12.12.02) • C6H5-CH=CHCOOCH3(chemical formula) • Description'fruity balsamic smell with a light note of cinnamon' • Deposit of sample • Combination graphical representation & scent marks? "Requirement ofgraphic representabilityis NOT satisfied by …

  21. "The first 9 notes of Für Elise" "The consecutive notes: e, dis, e, dis, e,b,d,c,a" 'kukelekuuuuu' "the crow of a rooster" Sound marks Shield Mark v. Joost Kist (C.J. ???)

  22. ANY SIGN = > 2 questions ? ? Any sign capable of graphical representation Protectability requirements

  23. Protectability requirements SIGN Distinctivecharacter Not prohibited Available in each and every EU country ...

  24. Protectability requirements SIGN Distinctivecharacter Not prohibited Available relative absolute

  25. Distinctive = NOT • art. 7 (1) (b) : devoid of any distinctive character • art. 7 (1) (c) : descriptive • descriptive of the essential characteristics of the goods/services • art. 7 (1) (d) : generic • consists in the usual description of the specific goods/services

  26. Distinctive = • identifying the undertaking • essential function of any trademark

  27. No exclusion per se • Case law exclusion: Need to leave free (“Freihaltebedürfnis”) ? • As a matter of principle: NO • Public interest concrete: YES • Legal text exclusion? • 3.1.a TMD or 7.1.a CTMR as a preliminary abstract exclusion : NO • 3.1.e TMD or 7.1.e CTMR : YES The test is CONCRETE

  28. Assessment of distinctive character • Word marks • 3D marks (shapes) • Colour marks

  29. Distinctive character & word marks WORD COMBINATIONS Court of Justice 20.09.01: “any perceptible difference” “Baby-dry”

  30. Distinctive character & word marks WORD COMBINATIONS Court of Justice 19.09.02: “an additional characteristic” is needed "Companyline" Application of art. 7.1.b"devoid of any distinctive character"

  31. Distinctive character & 3 D marks • Exclusion grounds for shapes constitute a preliminary obstacle • Assessment of distinctiveness • no stricter criteria than for other signsBUT • in practice may be more difficult to establish

  32. Distinctive character & colours Court of Justice Libertel (6 May 2003) “Yes … (if no prior use) … only in exceptional circumstances Particularly where : • number of goods or services = very restricted AND • relevant market = very specific”

  33. Arigato Gozaimasu

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