比荷卢经济联盟统一商标法

第一条

凡以名称、图案、标记、印章、字母、数字、商品形状或包装以及任何其他用来识别某一企业商品的记号，均视为个体商标。

但商品性质本身所决定的、影响商品实际价值的或产生工业效果的商品形状，不得视为商标。

 

第二条

倘不违反通常民法上的规定，姓氏可用作商标。

但此种商标所有人，不得对抗同姓氏者把其姓氏用于仅使人辨认自身而不赋予商标性质之用途。

 

第三条

倘不损害《保护工业产权巴黎公约》或《商标国际注册马德里协定》规定的优先权，则在比荷卢领土内最先申请注册者(比荷卢注册)或向保护工业产权国际局登记而成最先申请注册者(国际注册)，取得商标专用权。

在鉴别申请注册之先后顺序时，应考虑申请注册时或发生争端时已存在的下述商标的权利：

(一)为相似的商品申请注册的相似的个别商标;

(二)为任何商品申请注册的相似的集体商标。

 

第四条

在第十四条范围内，下列申请注册不能取得商标权：

 

(一)违反比荷卢联盟任何一成员国的善良习俗或公共秩序，或者为巴黎公约第六条之三规定所拒绝或取缔的商标的申请注册，不问此商标是否已经使用;

 

(二)为使用商标以欺骗公众的商品申请注册;

 

(三)类似用于任何商品的已注册的集体商标的商标申请注册，此集体商标取得的权利已于申请注册前三年内终止;

 

(四)类似第三者用于相似商品的已经注册的个别商标之商标的申请注册，而此个别商标取得的权利已在此申请注册前三年内因注册期满而终止，但获得此第三者同意者或像第五条第(三)款规定的此个别商标未使用者不在此限;

 

(五)能造成同巴黎公约第六条之二意义上的属于第三者的某一驰名商标相混淆的商标的申请注册，而此第三者又不同意者;

 

(六)恶意的申请注册，特别是：

 

(1)明知或佯作不知近三年内已有第三者在比荷卢领土内善意地正常使用着用于相似商品的相似商标而进行的申请注册，且第三者不同意者;

 

(2)由于直接接触明知近三年内已由第三者在比荷卢领土外善意地正常使用着用于相似商品的相似商标而进行的申请注册，但取得该第三者同意者或申请人在比荷卢领土内开始使用商标后才明知此情者，不在此限。

 

第五条

 

商标权由于下列情事而终止;

 

(一)由于自愿撤销或比荷卢注册期满;

 

(二)由于国际注册撤销或期满，或由于放弃在比荷卢境内的保护，或依马德里协定第六条规定由于商标在原属国不再享有法律保护;

 

(三)商标所有人或特许使用人于注册后三年内或连续五年在比荷卢境内无正当理由未正常使用商标;在发生诉讼时，法院得令商标所有人对使用商标负全部或部分举证责任;但在传讯前已有六年以上未使用，应由原告一方提出证明;

 

(四)商标在正式取得后，由于所有人的缘故而变成了一种商品的通用名称。

 

第六条

 

(一)商标的比荷卢注册应按照实施细则规定的格式，并于缴纳规费后向本国主管机关或比荷卢商标局提出。负责接受申请注册的当局应审查所送文件是否符合格式，并建立申请注册文书，载明申请注册日期。

 

(二)实施细则可以规定，接受商标注册申请要以完成申请人选择的下列手续之一为条件：

 

(1)提出证件证明于申请注册前三个月已由比荷卢商标局依实施细则规定进行事先审查;

 

(2)在提出申请时通过负责接受注册申请的当局提出审查要求。

 

第二种情况下，申请注册文书的建立系属临时性质。俟申请人或其他代理人接到事先审查的结果，并在实施细则规定的期限内确认其保持申请注册的意愿，此文书才发生法律效力。申请注册文书发生法律效力后，将保留其原来的日期。

 

(三)比荷卢商标局不得对商标申请注册进行可能得出反对申请人的结论的任何实质性审查。

 

(四)依照巴黎公约第四条规定要求优先权，应于申请注册文书中说明，或在提出申请后一个月内，依实施细则规定的格式，并缴纳规费后，向比荷卢商标局提出特别声明。未提出此种要求者丧失优先权。

 

第七条

 

(一)国际注册依照马德里协定的规定办理。马德里协定第八条第(一)款规定征收的规费由实施细则确定。

 

(二)倘实施细则规定接受比荷卢注册要服从于第六条第(二)款所述条件，则该细则亦可规定国际注册必须经过事先审查。

 

第八条

 

比荷卢商标局应立即将申请人所报商品的比荷卢申请注册文书注册，发给商标所有人注册证;该商标局并应将关于申请人所报商品的国际注册通知单注册，以便使申请人要求的国际注册在比荷卢领土内生效。

 

比荷卢注册或国际注册的申请日期为注册的法定日期。

 

在有优先权请求时，注册应载明要求优先权的日期和根据。

 

第九条

 

应商标申请注册人或第三者的请求，在收取费用后，比荷卢商标局负责进行比荷卢注册簿中的商标的一切事先审查。

 

如经过要求，比荷卢商标局亦应负责进行第六条第(二)款和第七条第(二)款规定的比荷卢注册簿中的商标的事先审查。

 

比荷卢商标局应将审查结果转告请求审查人，不加具理由和结论。

 

为了对注册商标进行审查，注册商标按照比荷卢商标局建立的系统分类。

 

第十条

 

比荷卢注册期限为十年，自申请之日起算。

 

组成商标的记号在注册期内或在续展时不得修改。

 

根据要求，按照实施细则规定的格式，在缴纳规费后，注册得续展十年。

 

续展必须在注册期届满前六个月内提出申请。续展自期满之日起算。

 

注册届满前六个月，比荷卢商标局应将届满的确切日期通知商标所有人，有代理人时，并通知申请注册文书中指定的代理人。

 

商标局应将是项通知送达其已知的关系人的最近住址。漏发或未收到是项通知，不能免除关系人应在规定限期内办理续展的责任;在法院或商标局前都不得因是项遗漏而推卸责任。

 

商标局应将续展登记。

 

第十一条

 

(一)不问企业是否全部或部分转让，使用注册商标于全部或一部分商品的商标专用权，得转让他人，或许可他人使用。

 

下列转让与特许无效：

 

(1)未经书面确认的生前的转让和特许;

 

(2)非适用于全部比荷卢领土的转让或其他移转。

 

(二)除对于许可使用的期限加以限制，或将许可限制于注册商标的一部分商品外，对使用许可的限制都不影响于本法的适用。

 

(三)转让或其他移转或许可，只有在按实施细则规定的格式，并缴纳规费后，将确认转让或许可的文书或关于确认或转让的声明摘录并由有关当事人签字的关于转让之声明登记注册后，才能对抗第三者。

 

(四)被许可人对因第三者非法使用商标而蒙受的损失，如与商标所有人联合采取行动，有权请求赔偿。

 

第十二条

 

(一)不问提起诉讼的性质如何，任何人未将一标记进行正式注册和必要时申请续展注册，即不得将此标记视为第一条意义上的商标，而请求司法上的保护。

 

法院可以依职权不受理此项要求。但在诉讼进程中办理注册或续展注册后，即应受理。

 

在任何情况下，不得因申请注册前发生的事实而给予损害赔偿。

 

(二)如果通常民法上的规定允许对于非法使用非第一条意义上的商标提出反对，本法的规定不损害这种标记的使用人的权利。

 

第十三条

 

(一)如不妨害在民事责任上可能的对通常民法的适用，商标所有人根据他的商标专用权，可以反对在下述情况下的使用：

 

(1)一切把该商标或类似的标记用于使用注册商标的商品或类似商品的行为;

 

(2)其他一切在经济流通中无正当理由使用该商标或类似的标记，以致可能损害商标所有人权益的行为。

 

在同样情况下，商标所有人根据上述权利可以要求赔偿因此种使用而受的损失。

 

但商标专用权不包含反对商标所有人或被许可人将商标使用于在此商标下投放市场的商品之权，但以不改变商品状态为限。

 

(二)商标注册所采用的行政分类，不构成鉴别产品是否类似的标准。

 

(三)用比荷卢领土内某一民族语言或方言构成的商标的专用权，亦为这些语言的其他语言译文的商标所享有。

 

在该领土外的一种或多种文字译文所引起的商标相似的问题，由法院鉴别之。

 

第十四条

 

(一)一切关系人，包括检察官，得主张下列申请注册无效：

 

(1)1.依第一条规定不视为商标的记号的申请注册，特别是按巴黎公约第六条之五第(二)款第(2)项规定的缺乏显著特征者;

 

2.依本法第三条第(二)款的规定，在优先顺序上，在一个类似的集体商标申请注册之后的注册申请;

 

3.依本法第四条第(一)、(二)两款不能取得商标权的注册申请;

 

(2)依第四条第(三)款不能取得商标权的申请注册，但以自申请注册之日起五年内提出无效为限。

 

在上列情况下，如检察官提起关于无效的诉讼，布鲁塞尔、海牙和卢森堡法院有专属管辖权。检察官提起诉讼后，其他一切基于同一理由的诉讼均应中止。

 

(二)如在先的注册所有人或具有第四条第(四)、(五)、(六)款所指的第三者参与诉讼，则任何关系人均得主张下列注册无效：

 

(1)依注册先后，排列在第三条第(二)款规定相似的个别商标之后的注册;

 

(2)按第四条第(四)、(五)、(六)款规定未取得商标权的注册;由第(四)款规定引起的无效，应在在先的注册期满后三年内提出，由第(五)款及第(六)款的规定引起的无效，应在从申请注册之日起五年内提出。

 

(三)在第五条第(三)款及第(四)款规定的情况下，任何关系人得主张商标权终止。

 

(四)只有法院有权裁决以本法为根据的诉讼;注册申请经宣布为无效后，以及已生效的注册经宣布为终止后，法院应依职权命令撤销之。

 

第十五条

 

(一)比荷卢注册商标所有人，在任何时候都可以要求撤销其注册。但如有使用权并经登记，则只能由注册所有人会同被许可人共同要求，才能撤销商标或使用权的注册。

 

(二)撤销注册在比荷卢领土全境生效。

 

(三)放弃由国际注册产生的保护，虽只限制在比荷卢领土的一部，即使所有人作相反的声明，仍在该领土全境生效。

 

第十六条

 

宣告申请无效、宣告商标权终止以及自动撤销注册，对组成整个商标的标记生效。

 

无效或权利终止只是关系到使用注册商标的商品的一部分时，无效宣告或权利终止的宣告也应限于使用该商标的这部分商品。

 

自动撤销得限于使用注册的一种或几种商品。

 

第十七条

 

(一)除上列条款赋予比荷卢商标局的职权外，该局负责：

 

(1)依所有人的要求、依保护工业产权国际局的通知或依法院判决对注册进行修改，如有必要并将此修改通知国际局;

 

(2)用荷兰文及法文编发月报，登载比荷卢注册和实施细则所要求的其他事项;

 

(3)应任何关系人要求，提供注册的副本。

 

(二)就本条第(一)款所规定的业务征收规费的数额，以及月刊和副本的售价，由实施细则确定之。

 

第十八条

 

比荷卢三国的国民以及未参加巴黎公约建立的同盟的国家的国民，凡在比荷卢领土内有住所，或在该领土内设有真实、有效的工商企业者，可以根据本法要求在该领土全境内享受该公约与马德里协定规定的利益。第二章　集体商标

 

第十九条

 

注册时指定为集体商标的、用以区别来自不同企业的商品的一个或几个共同特征的全部标记，为集体商标，这些企业在商标所有人的监督下贴用商标。

 

集体商标所有人不得在他自己的企业或直接或间接由他参加管理或监督的企业的商品上使用集体商标。

 

第二十条

 

除另有规定外，个别及集体商标均适用同一规章制度。

 

第二十一条

 

只有在申请注册时随同商标附有使用和监督使用的章程，才能取得对集体商标的专用权。

 

如系申请国际注册，申请人得从马德里协定第三条第(四)款规定的国际注册通知发出起六个月内缴送此章程。

 

第二十二条

 

集体商标的使用和监督章程应载明该商标所保证的商品的共同特证。

 

章程并应确定对这些特征适当而有效的监督方式，并辅以适当制裁。

 

第二十三条

 

第四条第(三)款不适用于由类似的集体商标的原所有人或其权利继承人提出的集体商标注册申请。

 

第二十四条

 

在不妨害第六条的适用的情况下，倘未按第二十一条规定提交集体商标的使用和监督章程，则比荷卢商标局不得为此商标进行比荷卢注册。

 

第二十五条

 

集体商标所有人必须将商标使用和监督章程的任何修改，通知三国之一的主管机关或比荷卢商标局。是项通知应由比荷卢商标局登记。

 

在按前款规定通知之前，修改不得生效。

 

第二十六条

 

为保护集体商标进行诉讼的权利，专属于该商标的所有人。

 

在不妨害第十三条规定的情况下，集体商标所有人得根据其专用权，反对在任何商品上使用该商标或类似的标记，但利用先前对相似的个别商标享有的权利而使用，不在此限。

 

在同样情况下，商标所有人得要求赔偿因是项使用所遭受的损失。

 

商标使用和监督章程，得给准予使用该商标的人与商标所有人共同行动之权，或者参与或干预所有人提起的诉讼或对该所有人提起的诉讼之权。

 

同样，使用或监督章程得规定，所有人在单独进行诉讼时，也可以维护商标使用人的个人利益，并把使用人一人或数人所受具体损失的赔偿包括在他提出的要求中。

 

第二十七条

 

(一)在不妨害第十四条规定的情况下，如集体商标所有人在第十九条第二段条文规定的情况下使用该商标，或同意或容忍违反使用和监督章程的规定而使用，任何关系人，包括检察官，得主张该集体商标上的权利终止。

 

由检察官提起的商标权丧失的诉讼，布鲁塞尔、海牙和卢森堡法院有专属管辖权。

 

检察官提起诉讼后，其他一切基于同一理由的诉讼均应终止。

 

(二)如使用和监督章程违反公共秩序或不符合第二十二条的规定，检察官可以主张集体商标的申请注册无效。如使用和监督章程的修改违反公共秩序或第二十二条的规定，或者会产生削弱该章程给予公众的保证的效果，检察官也可以主张该项修改无效。

 

布鲁塞尔、海牙和卢森堡法院对这些诉讼有专属管辖权;这些法庭依职权命令撤销已宣告无效的注册申请或修改。

 

第二十八条

 

已经终止、宣布无效或已被撤销的集体商标，以及未续展也未依第二十三条重行注册的集体商标，在终止、无效或撤销、或未续展的注册满期之日起三年内，不得以任何名义予以使用，但主张本人对一相似的个别商标先前享有权利者，不在此限。第三章　过渡条款

 

第二十九条

 

凡依比荷卢联盟任何一国的本国法在本法生效之日以前取得且在此日期尚未满期的个别商标或集体商标的专用权，仍属有效，但第三十条规定的不在此限。自该日起，本法适用于该项权利。

 

首先使用一标记以识别某企业的商品，如按本法第一条及第二条此标记可构成一商标者，则此使用视为取得了专用权。但这样被视为取得的专用权不能对抗在本法生效之前即已使用此标记的人，但其使用已连续中断五年者，不在此限。

 

第三十条

 

倘自本法生效之日起届满一年未办理比荷卢申请注册以要求既得权利的存在，并作为提供情况说明产生该权利的事实的性质和时间，以及，如有必要还说明商标的注册申请和注册，则此商标既得权便告结束，并具有追溯至本法生效之日的效力。此项申请注册取代在比荷卢联盟一国或数国中存在的商标申请注册，而不由于此种申请注册而妨害既得的权利。但倘申请人明知或佯作不知并不存在一种既得权而即要求享有此权，则其申请注册视为出于恶意。

 

倘在本法生效之日，商标权系由以比荷卢领土外的注册为原始的国际注册所产生者，则此权利的保持不受前款规定的条件的约束。

 

此外，如按第(一)款规定的比荷卢申请注册未送交使用和监督章程，则集体商标的既得权便告结束，并且有应追溯至本法生效之日的效力。第二十二条、第二十四条及第二十七条第(二)款适用于此情况。

 

如集体商标的权利系由以比荷卢领土外注册为原始注册的国际申请所产生，自本法生效之日起届满一年，集体商标所有人未送交使用和监督章程，则此项权利即告结束，并且有追溯至本法生效之日的效力。第二十二条及第二十七条第(二)款适用于此情况。

 

第三十一条

 

第三十条规定的比荷卢申请的初次注册不照第十条的规定，而是以一年至十年为注册有效期，该期限届满之月、日与比荷卢申请之月、日相同，满期之年的年代个位数字与取得权利之年的年代个位数字相同。

 

是项注册的第一次续展，得于申请注册之时要求之，续展期为第十条规定的期限。

 

第三十二条

 

依第二十九条及第三十条保持的商标专用权，自本法生效之日起，扩展至比荷卢领土全境。

 

此权利不得扩展至比荷卢国家中的下述国家的领土：

 

(1)在该国家，此权利会同第三者依第二十九条和第三十条取得和保持的权利相冲突;

 

(2)在该国家依第十四条第(一)款第(1)项1、3及第(2)项、第十四条第(二)款第(2)项和第二十七条第(二)款的规定，有无效的原因。

 

同一商标权在两个比荷卢成员国为两人分别取得，此权利扩展至第三成员国，应有利于本法生效前最先正常地使用商标于该国的人。在本法生效时如未在该国使用过，则扩展应有利于先取得权利的人。

 

第三十三条

 

依第三十二条，一个商标属于比荷卢联盟的两个或三个国家中的不同所有人所有，倘商标是由一比荷卢国家中的商标所有人贴用或经其授权贴用;且两所有人之间存在着关于经营该商品的经济联系，则在另一国中的商标所有人不得反对来自该一比荷卢国家的贴有同一商标的商品的进口或对此项进口要求赔偿。

 

第三十四条

 

(一)自本法生效之日起，比荷卢注册簿开放办理商标注册申请。自同日起，各国不再接受本国注册。

 

(二)第三十条规定的比荷卢注册，免予缴纳任何规费，但应按实施细则规定的格式办理。

 

这些申请的注册应载明既得权利的要求和有关说明。

 

(三)本法实施之日已存在的基于在比荷卢领土外进行的原始注册的国际注册，应依职权免费登记于比荷卢注册簿，但所有人已放弃在比荷卢全境内受到由此产生的保护时除外。

 

第三十五条

 

第三十条规定的不问其实际日期的比荷卢注册，以及第三十四条第(三)款规定的登记于比荷卢注册簿的国际注册，在确定其对于非要求既得权利的比荷卢注册而言的先后次序方面，被视为系在本法生效之日办理者。

 

第二十九条意义上的在一个比荷卢国家中取得的权利，在该国中依本法生效前适用的该国法律来确定先后次序。第四章　其他规定

 

第三十六条

 

本法称“比荷卢领土”指比利时王国、荷兰王国及卢森堡大公国在欧洲的全部领土。

 

第三十七条

 

(一)除合同另有明白约定外，商标案件的管辖依被告的住所地确定，或依引起诉讼的行为发生、完成或应完成的地点确定之。商标的申请或注册地，不得单独作为决定管辖的基础。

 

如上述标准尚不足以确定管辖，则原告得在其住所地或居所地法院起诉;或者，如原告在比荷卢境内无住所或居所，可选择在布鲁塞尔、海牙或卢森堡的法院起诉。

 

(二)各法院必须依职权援用第(一)款的规定，并明确地确定并记明它们的职权。

 

(三)第(一)款规定的主要请求所系属的法院，得受理原告提出的保证请求、调解请求、附带请求以及反诉请求，除非它在此问题上无权受理。

 

(四)如果提交给三国中任一国法院的争议已经系属于其他两国的法院，或者该争议的该一国法院应依当事人一方的请求，将案件移送于其他两国的法院。此种移送只能在案件系属于第一审时请求之。案件应移送于第一个接受诉状的法院，但如另一法院就该事件已先作出判决(此项判决不是仅涉及程序的)时除外，在此情况下，案件应移送于此另一法院。

 

第三十八条

 

本法各规定不妨碍适用《巴黎公约》、《马德里协定》以及比利时、卢森堡或荷兰法律中可能禁止使用某一商标的规定。

Article 1

All names, patterns, marks, seals, letters, numbers, product shapes or packaging and any other signs used to identify a company’s products are regarded as individual trademarks.

However, the shape of the commodity that is determined by the nature of the commodity itself, affects the actual value of the commodity or produces industrial effects shall not be regarded as a trademark.

 

Article 2

Surnames can be used as trademarks, provided that they do not violate the provisions of ordinary civil law.

However, the proprietor of such a trademark shall not oppose the person with the same surname to use his surname only to identify himself without conferring the character of the trademark.

 

Article 3

Without prejudice to the right of priority under the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property or the Madrid Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Marks, the first person to file for registration in the Benelux territory (Benelux registration) or register with the International Bureau for the Protection of Industrial Property Become the first applicant for registration (international registration) and obtain the exclusive right to use the trademark.

When identifying the sequence of applications for registration, the following trademark rights that existed at the time of application for registration or at the time of the dispute should be considered:

(1) Similar individual trademarks applied for registration for similar goods;

(2) Similar collective marks applied for registration for any commodity.

 

Article 4

Within the scope of Article 14, the following applications for registration cannot obtain trademark rights:

 

(1) violates the good customs or public order of any member state of the Benelux, or applies for the registration of a trade mark rejected or banned under Article 6ter of the Paris Convention, whether or not the trade mark has been used;

 

(2) Application for registration of goods for which the trademark is used to deceive the public;

 

(3) An application for registration of a trademark similar to a registered collective mark used for any commodity, and the rights acquired by the collective mark have been terminated within three years prior to the application for registration;

 

(4) An application for registration of a trademark that is similar to a registered individual trademark used by a third party for similar goods, and the rights obtained by this individual trademark have been terminated within three years before the application for registration due to the expiration of the registration period. This is not limited to the person who agrees or the individual trademark has not been used as specified in Article 5(3);

 

(5) An application for the registration of a trademark which can cause confusion with a well-known trademark belonging to a third party within the meaning of Article 6bis of the Paris Convention, and the third party does not agree;

 

(6) Malicious application for registration, especially:

 

(1) Knowing or pretending not to know that within the past three years, a third party has been using a similar trademark for similar goods in good faith in the Benelux territory, and the third party does not agree;

 

(2) Application for registration due to direct contact with the knowledge that a similar trademark for similar goods has been used normally and in good faith by a third party outside the Benelux territory within the past three years, but the person who has obtained the consent of the third party or the applicant has This does not apply to those who become aware of this after the use of the trademark in the Benelux territory.

 

The fifth

 

The trademark right is terminated due to the following circumstances;

 

(a) due to voluntary revocation or expiration of the Benelux registration;

 

(2) due to the cancellation or expiration of the international registration, or due to the abandonment of protection in the Benelux, or due to the fact that the mark no longer enjoys legal protection in the country of origin under Article 6 of the Madrid Agreement;

 

(3) The trademark owner or franchisor fails to use the trademark normally within the territory of Benelux without justifiable reasons within three years after registration or for five consecutive years; in the event of a lawsuit, the court may order the trademark owner to be fully or partially responsible for the use of the trademark The burden of proof; however, it has not been used for more than six years before the summons, and the plaintiff should provide proof;

 

(4) After the trademark is officially acquired, it becomes the general name of a commodity due to the owner.

 

Article 6

 

(1) The Benelux registration of a trademark shall be made in accordance with the format specified in the Implementing Regulations and submitted to the competent authority of the country or the Benelux Trademark Office after payment of the fee. The authority responsible for accepting applications for registration shall review the submitted documents for compliance with the format and establish an application for registration document stating the date of application for registration.

 

(2) The Implementing Regulations may provide that acceptance of an application for trademark registration is conditional upon completion of one of the following procedures selected by the applicant:

 

(1) Submit documents to prove that the Benelux Trademark Office has conducted a prior examination in accordance with the Implementing Regulations three months before the application for registration;

 

(2) At the time of filing the request for examination is made through the authority responsible for receiving the application for registration.

 

In the second case, the establishment of the application for registration documents is of a temporary nature. This document will take legal effect only after the applicant or other agent receives the result of the prior review and confirms his or her willingness to keep applying for registration within the time limit specified in the implementing rules. After the application for registration has become legally effective, its original date will be retained.

 

(3) The Benelux Trademark Office shall not conduct any substantive examination of an application for registration of a trademark that may lead to a conclusion against the applicant.

 

(4) The right of priority is claimed in accordance with Article 4 of the Paris Convention, which shall be stated in the application for registration, or within one month after the application is filed, in the form specified in the Implementing Regulations and after paying the fees, to the Benelux Trademark Office Make a special statement. Those who do not make such a request lose priority.

 

Article 7

 

(1) International registration shall be handled in accordance with the provisions of the Madrid Agreement. The fees levied under Article 8(1) of the Madrid Agreement shall be determined by the Regulations.

 

(2) If the Regulations provide that the acceptance of a Benelux registration is subject to the conditions referred to in Article 6(2), the Regulations may also provide that the international registration must be subject to prior examination.

 

eighth

 

The Benelux Trademark Office shall immediately register the Benelux application for registration of the goods declared by the applicant and issue a registration certificate to the trademark owner; the Trademark Office shall also register the international registration notice for the goods declared by the applicant, so that Validate the international registration requested by the applicant in the Benelux territory.

 

The filing date of a Benelux registration or an international registration is the statutory date of the registration.

 

Where there is a claim for priority, the registration shall state the date and basis for claiming priority.

 

Article 9

 

At the request of the registrant of the trademark application or a third party, after charging a fee, the Benelux Trademark Office is responsible for all prior examination of the trademark in the Benelux Register.

 

Upon request, the Benelux Trademark Office shall also be responsible for the prior examination of marks in the Benelux Register under Articles 6(2) and 7(2).

 

The Benelux Trademark Office shall forward the examination result to the requesting examiner without giving reasons or conclusions.

 

For the examination of registered trademarks, registered trademarks are classified according to the system established by the Benelux Trademark Office.

 

Article 10

 

The Benelux registration period is ten years from the date of application.

 

The signs constituting the trademark shall not be modified during the registration period or upon renewal.

 

Upon request and in accordance with the format specified in the Implementing Regulations, the registration may be renewed for ten years after payment of a fee.

 

Renewal must be requested within six months before the expiry of the registration period. Renewals are calculated from the date of expiry.

 

Six months before the expiry of the registration, the Benelux Trademark Office shall notify the trademark owner of the exact date of expiry and, if there is an agent, the agent designated in the application for registration.

 

The Trademark Office shall serve the notification to the nearest residential address of the person it is known to be related to. The omission or failure to receive the notice does not exempt the related party from the responsibility to handle the renewal within the specified time limit; the omission should not shirk responsibility before the court or the Trademark Office.

 

The Trademark Office shall register the renewal.

 

Article 11

 

(1) Regardless of whether the enterprise transfers in whole or in part, the exclusive right to use the registered trademark on all or part of the goods may be assigned to others, or licensed to others.

 

The following assignments and licenses are invalid:

 

(1) Transfers and licenses during life without written confirmation;

 

(2) Not applicable to assignments or other transfers of the entire Benelux territory.

 

(2) Except for the limitation of the period of use of the license, or the limitation of the license to a part of the goods of the registered trademark, the restrictions on the license of use shall not affect the application of this Law.

 

(3) For assignment or other transfer or license, only in the form prescribed in the Implementing Regulations and after payment of fees, the document confirming the transfer or license or the statement on the confirmation or transfer shall be extracted and signed by the parties concerned. After the declaration is registered, it can fight against third parties.

 

(4) The licensee shall have the right to claim compensation for losses suffered by a third party due to the illegal use of the trademark, if it takes joint action with the trademark owner.

 

Article 12

 

(1) Regardless of the nature of the lawsuit, any person who fails to formally register a mark and apply for renewal of registration if necessary shall not regard the mark as a trademark within the meaning of Article 1 and apply for judicial protection.

 

The court may dismiss the request ex officio. However, it shall be accepted after registration or renewal of registration during the proceedings.

 

In no event shall damages be awarded for facts that occurred prior to the application for registration.

 

(2) The provisions of this Law do not prejudice the rights of users of such marks if the usual provisions of the Civil Law permit objections to the illegal use of trademarks not in the sense of Article 1.

 

Article 13

 

(1) Without prejudice to the possible application of ordinary civil law in terms of civil liability, the trademark owner may, on the basis of his exclusive right to use the trademark, object to the use in the following cases:

 

(1) All acts of using the trademark or similar marks for goods using the registered trademark or similar goods;

 

(2) All other acts of using the trademark or similar marks without justifiable reasons in economic circulation, which may damage the rights and interests of the trademark owner.

 

In the same case, the owner of the trade mark may, under the above rights, seek compensation for damages suffered as a result of such use.

 

However, the exclusive right to use a trademark does not include the right to object to the use of the trademark by the owner or licensee of the trademark on the goods placed on the market under this trademark, but only to the extent that the status of the goods is not changed.

 

(2) The administrative classification adopted for trademark registration does not constitute a standard for identifying whether products are similar.

 

(3) The exclusive right to use trademarks in a certain national language or dialect in the Benelux territory is also enjoyed by trademarks in translations of these languages ​​into other languages.

 

The question of similarity of trademarks arising from translations in one or more languages ​​outside the territory shall be identified by the court.

 

Article 14

 

(1) All related parties, including prosecutors, may assert that the following applications for registration are invalid:

 

(1) 1. Application for registration of a sign which is not regarded as a trade mark under Article 1, in particular a lack of distinctive character under Article 6quinquies(2)(2) of the Paris Convention;

 

2. In accordance with the provisions of Article 3(2) of this Law, in priority order, an application for registration following the registration of a similar collective mark application;

 

3. Applications for registration of trademark rights that cannot be obtained in accordance with paragraphs (1) and (2) of Article 4 of this Law;

 

(2) An application for registration of trademark rights cannot be obtained in accordance with Article 4(3), provided that the application for invalidation is filed within five years from the date of application for registration.

 

In the cases listed above, the courts of Brussels, The Hague and Luxembourg have exclusive jurisdiction, if the prosecutor brings a lawsuit for invalidity. After the prosecutor has filed a lawsuit, all other lawsuits on the same grounds shall be suspended.

 

(2) If the previous registered owner or a third party referred to in Article 4 (4), (5), (6) participates in the proceedings, any related person may claim that the following registrations are invalid:

 

(1) In accordance with the order of registration, the registrations are arranged after the similar individual trademarks specified in Article 3(2);

 

(2) Registration of trademark rights that have not been obtained in accordance with the provisions of Article 4 (4), (5) and (6); invalidation caused by the provisions of paragraph (4), shall be within three years after the expiration of the previous registration period. The filing of invalidity arising from the provisions of paragraphs (5) and (6) shall be filed within five years from the date of application for registration.

 

(3) Under the circumstances specified in Article 5(3) and (4), any related party may claim the termination of the trademark right.

 

(4) Only the court shall have the power to adjudicate an action based on this Act; after an application for registration has been declared invalid, and after a registration in force has been declared terminated, the court shall order revocation ex officio.

 

Article 15

 

(1) The owner of a Benelux registered trademark may request to cancel its registration at any time. However, if the right to use is registered, the registration of the trademark or the right to use can only be cancelled at the joint request of the registered owner and the licensee.

 

(2) Deregistration shall take effect throughout the Benelux territory.

 

(3) A waiver of protection resulting from an international registration, although limited to a part of the Benelux territory, shall remain in force throughout the territory even if the owner makes a declaration to the contrary.

 

Article 16

 

The declaration of invalidation of the application, the declaration of the termination of the trademark right, and the automatic cancellation of the registration are effective for the marks that make up the entire trademark.

 

When the invalidation or termination of rights is only related to a part of the goods using the registered trademark, the declaration of invalidation or termination of rights shall also be limited to this part of the goods using the trademark.

 

Automatic revocation may be limited to the use of one or more commodities registered.

 

Article 17

 

(1) In addition to the functions and powers conferred on the Benelux Trademark Office by the above-mentioned articles, the Office shall be responsible for:

 

(1) Amend the registration at the request of the proprietor, by notification from the International Bureau for the Protection of Industrial Property or by a court decision, and if necessary notify the International Bureau of such amendment;

 

(2) Compile and publish monthly reports in Dutch and French, publishing other matters required by the Benelux Registration and Implementing Regulations;

 

(3) At the request of any related person, provide a copy of the registration.

 

(2) The amount of fees to be levied on the business specified in paragraph (1) of this article, as well as the selling price of monthly publications and copies, shall be determined by the Implementing Regulations.

 

Article 18

 

Nationals of the three Benelux countries and nationals of countries not party to the Union established by the Paris Convention, who have domicile in the territory of the Benelux, or have a real and effective business enterprise in that territory, may, in accordance with the requirements of this Law, The whole territory enjoys the benefits of the Convention and the Madrid Agreement. Chapter II Collective Marks

 

Article 19

 

All marks designated as collective marks at the time of registration and used to distinguish one or more common features of goods from different enterprises are collective marks, and these enterprises affix the marks under the supervision of the trademark owner.

 

The proprietor of a collective mark shall not use the collective mark on the goods of his own enterprise or of an enterprise in which he participates in the management or supervision, directly or indirectly.

 

Article 20

 

Unless otherwise specified, the same rules and regulations apply to individual and collective marks.

 

Article 21

 

The exclusive right to a collective mark can only be obtained when the registration application is accompanied by the regulations on the use and supervision of the use of the trademark.

 

In the case of an application for an international registration, the applicant may submit these Regulations within six months from the date of the notification of the international registration under Article 3(4) of the Madrid Agreement.

 

Article 22

 

The regulations for the use and supervision of a collective mark shall state the common characteristics of the goods guaranteed by the mark.

 

The charter should also identify appropriate and effective means of monitoring these characteristics, complemented by appropriate sanctions.

 

Article 23

 

Article 4(3) shall not apply to an application for the registration of a collective mark filed by the original owner of a similar collective mark or his successor in right.

 

Article 24

 

Without prejudice to the application of Article 6, no Benelux registration of a collective mark shall be made by the Benelux Trademark Office unless the regulations for the use and supervision of the collective mark have been submitted in accordance with Article 21.

 

Article 25

 

The proprietor of a collective mark must notify the competent authority of one of the three countries or the Benelux Trademark Office of any amendments to the regulations on the use and supervision of the mark. This notification shall be registered with the Benelux Trademark Office.

 

Modifications shall not take effect until notified in accordance with the provisions of the preceding paragraph.

 

Article 26

 

The right to sue for the protection of a collective mark is exclusive to the owner of the mark.

 

Without prejudice to the provisions of Article 13, the proprietor of a collective mark may, on the basis of his exclusive right, object to the use of the mark or a similar sign on any commodity, except that the use of the prior rights in similar individual marks shall not this limit.

 

In the same circumstances, the owner of the trademark may seek compensation for damages suffered as a result of the use.

 

The Regulations on the Use and Supervision of Trademarks may grant the person who uses the trademark the right to act jointly with the owner of the trademark, or to participate in or intervene in proceedings brought by or against the owner.

 

Likewise, the use or supervision bylaws may provide that the proprietor may also safeguard the personal interests of the user of the trademark when litigating alone, and include in his claim compensation for specific losses suffered by one or more of the users.

 

Article 27

 

(1) Without prejudice to the provisions of Article 14, if the proprietor of the collective mark uses the mark in the circumstances provided for in the second paragraph of Article 19, or agrees or tolerates the use in violation of the provisions of the Regulations on Use and Supervision , any related person, including the prosecutor, may claim the termination of the rights in the collective mark.

 

The courts of Brussels, The Hague and Luxembourg have exclusive jurisdiction for proceedings for loss of trademark rights brought by prosecutors.

 

After the prosecutor has filed a lawsuit, all other lawsuits based on the same grounds shall be terminated.

 

(2) If the use and supervision of the charter violates public order or does not comply with the provisions of Article 22, the prosecutor may claim that the application for registration of the collective mark is invalid. Prosecutors may also assert that a modification of the statute is invalid if the use and supervision of the modification violates public order or the provisions of Article 22, or would have the effect of weakening the assurances that the statute affords the public.

 

The courts of Brussels, The Hague and Luxembourg have exclusive jurisdiction over these proceedings; these courts order ex officio to revoke an application for registration or amendment that has been declared invalid.

 

Article 28

 

A collective mark that has been terminated, declared invalid or revoked, and a collective mark that has not been renewed or re-registered in accordance with Within the year, it shall not be used in any name, except for those who claim that I have previous rights to a similar individual trademark. Chapter III Transitional Provisions

 

Article 29

 

The exclusive rights to individual or collective marks acquired under the national law of any country of the Benelux Union before the date of entry into force of this law and which have not expired on that date shall remain valid, except as provided in Article 30. limit. From that date, this law applies to that right.

 

First, a mark is used to identify the goods of a certain enterprise. If the mark can constitute a trademark according to Articles 1 and 2 of this Law, the use shall be deemed to have obtained the exclusive right. However, the exclusive right thus deemed to be obtained shall not be against a person who has used the mark before the entry into force of this Act, unless the use of the mark has been interrupted for five consecutive years.

 

Article 30

 

In the event that a Benelux application for registration to claim the existence of an acquired right has not been made within one year from the date of entry into force of this law, and as a matter of providing information on the nature and time of the facts giving rise to the right and, if necessary, the registration of the trade mark application and registration, the vested rights in this trademark shall cease and shall have effect retroactive to the date of entry into force of this Act. This application for registration supersedes an application for registration of a trade mark existing in one or more countries of the Benelux without prejudice to acquired rights by such application for registration. However, if the applicant knows or pretends not to know that there is no vested right and claims to have this right, his application for registration shall be deemed to have been made in bad faith.

 

If, on the date of entry into force of this Act, the right to a trade mark arises from an international registration originating from a registration outside the Benelux territory, the maintenance of this right shall not be subject to the conditions laid down in the preceding paragraph.

 

Furthermore, if the Benelux application for registration under paragraph (1) is not submitted to the Regulations for Use and Supervision, the acquired right of the collective mark shall cease and shall have effect retroactive to the date of entry into force of this Law. Articles 22, 24 and 27(2) shall apply in this case.

 

If the right to a collective mark arises from an international application with a registration outside the Benelux as the original registration, and the owner of the collective mark has not sent a charter of use and supervision after the expiration of one year from the date of entry into force of this law, the right shall come to an end and shall have effect retroactive to the date of entry into force of this law. Articles 22 and 27(2) shall apply in this case.

 

Article 31

 

The initial registration of the Benelux application stipulated in Article 30 is not in accordance with the provisions of Article 10, but is valid for one year to ten years. The month and day of the expiration of this period are the same as the month and day of the Benelux application. , the single digit of the year of the expiry year is the same as the single digit of the year of the year of acquisition of the right.

 

This is the first renewal of the registration, which may be requested at the time of application for registration, and the renewal period shall be the period specified in Article 10.

 

Article 32

 

The exclusive right to use a trademark maintained in accordance with Articles 29 and 30 shall extend to the entire territory of the Benelux as of the date of entry into force of this Law.

 

This right shall not extend to the territory of the Benelux countries:

 

(1) In that country, this right would conflict with the rights acquired and maintained by third parties under Articles 29 and 30;

 

(2) in that country pursuant to Article 14(1)(1) 1, 3 and (2), Article 14(2)(2) and 27 The provisions of Article (2) are invalid.

 

The same trademark right is acquired by two persons in two Benelux member states. The extension of this right to the third member state shall be beneficial to the first person who normally uses the trademark in that country before the entry into force of this law. If it has not been used in that country at the time this Act comes into force, the extension shall be in favour of the person who first acquired the right.

 

Article 33

 

According to Article 32, a trade mark is owned by different proprietors in two or three countries of the Benelux Union, provided that the trade mark is affixed by or with the authorization of the proprietor of the trade mark in a Benelux country ; and there is an economic connection between the two proprietors in relation to dealing in the goods, the proprietor of the trademark in the other country shall not object to the importation or importation of goods bearing the same trademark from that Benelux country claim compensation.

 

Article 34

 

(1) From the date of entry into force of this Law, the Benelux Register is open for applications for trademark registration. From the same date, countries no longer accept national registrations.

 

(2) The Benelux registration under Article 30 shall be exempt from any fees, but shall be done in the form prescribed in the Implementing Regulations.

 

The registration of these applications shall contain the requirements of the acquired rights and the relevant descriptions.

 

(3) An international registration based on an original registration made outside the Benelux territory, existing on the date of the coming into force of this Act, shall be registered ex officio in the Benelux Register free of charge, provided that the owner has renounced any right to receive it throughout the Benelux territory. Except for the resulting protection.

 

Article 35

 

A Benelux registration under Article 30 regardless of its actual date, and an international registration under Article 34(3) in the Benelux Register, are For the purposes of the Benelux registration, it is considered to be done on the date of entry into force of this Act.

 

The rights acquired in a Benelux country within the meaning of Article 29 shall be prioritized in that country in accordance with the laws of that country which were applicable before the entry into force of this law. Chapter IV Other Provisions

 

Article 36

 

For the purposes of this Act, the term “Benelux Territory” means the entire territory in Europe of the Kingdom of Belgium, the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

 

Article 37

 

(1) Unless otherwise expressly agreed in the contract, the jurisdiction of a trademark case shall be determined according to the domicile of the defendant, or the place where the act giving rise to the lawsuit took place, was completed or should be completed. The place of application or registration of a trademark shall not alone be the basis for determining jurisdiction.

 

If the above criteria are not sufficient to determine jurisdiction, the plaintiff may sue in the courts of his domicile or domicile; or, if the plaintiff has no domicile or domicile in the Benelux, he may choose to sue in the courts of Brussels, The Hague or Luxembourg.

 

(2) The courts must invoke the provisions of subsection (1) ex officio and clearly define and record their powers.

 

(3) The court to which the main claim under subsection (1) falls may hear claims for surety, conciliation, incidental claims and counterclaims made by the plaintiff, unless it has no jurisdiction in the matter.

 

(4) If the dispute submitted to the courts of any of the three countries already belongs to the courts of the other two countries, or the court of the one country for the dispute shall, at the request of one of the parties, transfer the case to the courts of the other two countries. Such transfer can only be requested when the case is in the first instance. The case shall be referred to the first court to receive the pleading, except if another court has previously made a judgment on the matter (the judgment is not procedural only), in which case the case shall be referred to this other court .

 

Article 38

 

The provisions of this Law are without prejudice to the application of provisions of the Paris Convention, the Madrid Agreement and the laws of Belgium, Luxembourg or the Netherlands that may prohibit the use of a trade mark.