1. 6th TLI Symposium Trademark Law and Other Rights in Distinctive Signs (30 October 2015) _________________________
Registered Trade Marks and Unregistered Trade Names & Trade Signs in Civil Law Countries
Jean-Luc Piotraut
Deputy Director of François Gény Institute
University of Lorraine

2. Registered TMs and Unregistered TNs/TSs in Civil Law Countries
I. – Introduction

3. Registered TMs and Unregistered TNs/TSs in Civil Law Countries

4. Registered TMs and Unregistered TNs/TSs in Civil Law Countries

5. Registered TMs and Unregistered TNs/TSs in Civil Law Countries

6. Registered TMs and Unregistered TNs/TSs in Civil Law Countries
• Charter of the French Language of the Canadian Province of Quebec:
- Article 58: Public signs and posters and commercial advertising must be in French (…).
- Article 63: The name of an enterprise must be in French.

7. Registered TMs and Unregistered TNs/TSs in Civil Law Countries

8. Registered TMs and Unregistered TNs/TSs in Civil Law Countries
Contributions of International and EU Law
to TNs & TSs Regulations
• Major Principles Laid down by International Treaties
- Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property
See: Articles 8, 9, 10bis, and 11
- TRIPS Agreement
See: - Articles 2(1) and 16(1)
- WTO Appellate Body, DS176 (Havana Club), “US — Section Omnibus Appropriations Act of 1998” [2002]
- ECJ, case C-245/02, Anheuser Bush v. Budějovický Budvar [2004]

9. Registered TMs and Unregistered TNs/TSs in Civil Law Countries
Contributions of International and EU Law
to TNs & TSs Regulations (cont’d)
• Main EU Acts
- TMD
See: Article 4 [Further grounds for refusal or invalidity concerning conflicts with earlier rights]
- CTMR
See: Articles 8(4) [Relative grounds for refusal]

10. Registered TMs and Unregistered TNs/TSs in Civil Law Countries
Types of Unregistered TNs & TSs
in Civil Law Countries
Unregistered Trade Mark (“marque d’usage”)
Business Name (“nom commercial”)
Company Name (“dénomination sociale”)
Shop Sign (“enseigne”)

11. Registered TMs and Unregistered TNs/TSs in Civil Law Countries
Remedies for TNs & TSs Infringement
Action for TM Infringement
Unfair Competition
Criminal Penalties

12. Registered TMs and Unregistered TNs/TSs in Civil Law Countries
II. – Access to Protection of Registered TMs and Unregistered TNs & TSs in Civil Law Countries

13. Registered TMs and Unregistered TNs/TSs in Civil Law Countries
Subject Matter
Main Characters

14. Registered TMs and Unregistered TNs/TSs in Civil Law Countries
Formalities
Registered Trade Mark
=> Registration with the TM Office
Business Name and Shop Sign
=> 1st Use
Commercial Name
- Prerequisite for Protection
- Protection Effectiveness

15. Registered TMs and Unregistered TNs/TSs in Civil Law Countries
Substantive Conditions
Distinctive Character
No Violation of Public Order or Accepted Principles of Morality
No Deceptiveness
No Existing Prior Right

16. Registered TMs and Unregistered TNs/TSs in Civil Law Countries
III. – Rights conferred by Registered TMs and Unregistered TNs & TSs in Civil Law Countries

17. Registered TMs and Unregistered TNs/TSs in Civil Law Countries
Nature of the Conferred Rights

18. Registered TMs and Unregistered TNs/TSs in Civil Law Countries
Types of Exclusive Rights
• Prevention of Registration of a Later TM
- Later National TM
See: - ECJ, case 529/07, Lindt & Sprüngli v. Frans Hauswirth [2009]
- ECJ, case C-320/12, Malaysia Dairy Ind. v. Danish Patent & TM Appeal Board [2013]
- Later Community TM
See: - ECJ, case 96/09-P, Anheuser Bush v. Budějovický Budvar [2011]
- EU General Court, case T-304/09, Tilda Riceland Private [2012]

19. Registered TMs and Unregistered TNs/TSs in Civil Law Countries
Types of Exclusive Rights (cont’d)
• Prevention of Use of a Later Name or Sign
- Earlier Registered TM
See: - ECJ, case 23/01, Robelco v. Robeco [2002]
- ECJ, case C-206/01, Arsenal Football Club v. Reed [2002]
- ECJ, case C-17/06, Céline Sarl v. Céline SA [2007]
- Earlier Unregistered TN/TS

20. Registered TMs and Unregistered TNs/TSs in Civil Law Countries
Types of Exclusive Rights (cont’d)
• Limitation on TM Rights
See: - TMD, Article 6(1)(a)
- TMD, Article 6(2)
- French IP Code, Article L.713-6(a)

21. Registered TMs and Unregistered TNs/TSs in Civil Law Countries
Scope of Legal Protection
Protection for a Certain Business Activity
Protection in a Certain Territory

22. Registered TMs and Unregistered TNs/TSs in Civil Law Countries
Duration of Rights
• General Term of Protection
• Termination of Rights Due to Acquiescence
• Revocation for Non-Use of a Registered TM

23. Registered TMs and Unregistered TNs/TSs in Civil Law Countries
Thank you for your attention!