In March 2013 the European Commission adopted a number of proposals to
recast the Directive to approximate the laws of the EU Member States
relating to trademarks (now codified as Directive2008/95/EC), and to revise the Regulation on the Community
trademark (now codified as Council Regulation (EC) No. 207/2009) and
the Regulation relating to fees (codified as Commission Regulation (EC) No.2869/95).
The aim of the proposals is not to create a new system; instead they
intend to modernize the existing provisions to make the trademark
registration system in Europe more accessible, coherent and efficient.
The new proposals include:
New terminology:
The OHIM will change its name to the ‘European Union Trade Marks and
Designs Agency’ (or ‘EUTMDA’) and the terms Community trademark and Community
Trademark Court will be changed to "European trademark" and
"European Trademark Court".
Fees:
The number of classes covered by a trademark application fee will be
reduced from three classes to one, and the application fee will be lowered to
reflect this change.
Definition of European trademark:
The requirement that a sign be capable of being represented graphically
will be eliminated.
Absolute grounds:
Trademarks applied for in a foreign language will not be granted
protection if refused on absolute grounds once the mark is translated into an
official language of an EU Member State.
Designation and classification of goods and services:
The new legal texts will codify the EU Court of Justice’s ruling in the
"IP Translator" case (literal
interpretation). The applicants must specify the goods and services to be
covered as opposed to using the general class heading. The owners of CTMs
applied for prior to 22 June 2012 will be given a term (probably around six
months) in which to evaluate and reformulate the list of goods and services.
Rights conferred by a European trademark:
- CTM infringement actions shall be brought without prejudice to any
existing prior rights (article 16 (1) of the TRIPS agreement).
- In
cases of double identity and similarity (in relation to the signs and goods and
services in question) the only criteria applied shall be the origin function
(the functions of advertising, communication and investment shall no longer
enjoy protection).
- The
use of a protected mark as a trade name shall be considered an infringement.
-
The "own name" defense shall only be applied to personal names.
-
Rights holders will be able to prevent the use of their marks on illegal
comparative advertising.
Protection of geographical indications and traditional terms:
Grounds for refusal shall be adapted to European laws with respect to
geographical indications and traditional terms in the wine sector and other
specialist sectors.
Geographical
indications and designations of origin protected under EU laws shall be
considered applicable as relative grounds for refusal of registration and may
thus be cited as possible bases for opposition.
European certification marks:
European certification marks, which currently exist at a national level
only in some Member States, are introduced throughout the EU.
Changes in procedures:
- Member States shall establish an administrative procedure for the
invalidation and revocation of trademarks (rather than court procedures).
- Ex
officio examinations by national offices shall be limited to absolute grounds
for refusal.
- The
option of applying for European trademarks via National Offices shall be
eliminated.
Anti-counterfeiting measures:
- Rights holders will be able to oppose the transit of counterfeit
goods throughout the EU customs territory, irrespective of whether or not the
goods had been released for free circulation.
-
Rights holders may also prevent the import of counterfeit goods to the EU even
if the sender is acting for commercial ends (with a view to combating the sale
of counterfeit goods online).
-
Rights holders may prevent the distribution and sale of labels and packaging
that may subsequently be used in connection with counterfeit goods.
Trademarks as objects of property:
Incorporation of new rules relating to the use of trademarks for
commercial purposes.
It is expected that the above proposals will be formally adopted in
spring 2014. Once these proposals are adopted, the EU Member States will
need to incorporate the provisions of the new trademark directive into their
respective national laws within a term of two years. Most of the amendments to
the new Regulation on the European Trademark, meanwhile, will come into effect
after its entry into force in 2014.
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