Trademark with a Reputation: Its Protection and Use in Comparative Advertising

Silvia Kratochvilová

In: ADAMOVÁ, Z. (ed.) Nové technológie, internet a duševné vlastníctvo 6: Označovanie produktov. Trnava: Typi Universitatis Tyrnaviensis, spoločné pracovisko Trnavskej univerzity v Trnave a VEDY, vydavateľstva Slovenskej akadémie vied, 2024, pp. 6-28. ISBN 978-80-568-0709-5.

Summary: The presented analysis of the clash of two legal norms is not exhaustive from the perspective of trademark or competition law. The paper analyses the rights of the owner of a trademark with a reputation from the point of view of trademark law and discusses the respective conditions that must be met for extended protection to be granted. In particular, the key factors are the demonstration of the reputation of the trademark, unfair advantage, as well as the absence of a due cause for such action. What is meant by due cause is still awaiting a more detailed interpretation by the Court of Justice of the EU, which will hopefully soon be provided in the context of freedom of expression. Although the interference with the essential function of the trademark is particularly important in the case of an ordinary trade mark, it seems that even in the case of a trade mark with a reputation, the interference with one of the functions will have to be taken into account. Finally, the rights of the proprietor of a trademark with a reputation, although considerably broad, are not unlimited, and the proprietor of a trade mark with a reputation will not be able to oppose the use of his trade mark in comparative advertising, provided that such use does not take unfair advantage of the reputation of the trade mark.

URL: http://ntidv.iuridica.truni.sk/archive/ntidv-6/NTIDV-6-Kratochvilova-Silvia.pdf

Bibliographic Citation

KRATOCHVILOVÁ, S. Ochranná známka s dobrým menom: jej ochrana a použitie v porovnávacej reklame. In: ADAMOVÁ, Z. (ed.) Nové technológie, internet a duševné vlastníctvo 6: Označovanie produktov. Trnava: Typi Universitatis Tyrnaviensis, spoločné pracovisko Trnavskej univerzity v Trnave a VEDY, vydavateľstva Slovenskej akadémie vied, 2024, pp. 6-28. ISBN 978-80-568-0709-5.