Ett EU-varumärke måste användas inom EU inom en femårsperiod efter det att registreringen är gjord. Om det inte har använts under denna tid kan det komma att hävas.
The strategic question of what constitutes ‘genuine use’ of a Community Trademark (now EU Trademark), particularly on the territorial requirements, is often asked at European level. Is use required throughout the EU, for example; or, is proof of use of the mark in one market sufficient?
How do you reach genuine use of trademarks on the EU Single Market?
Trademark Use - The European Perspective (English Version)Leonard Milenkovic
Sep/Oct. 2020
English version of the Swedish article on European Use of Trademarks published in the IP magazine BrandNews. Update includes added legal research and input from presentations held at IP law firms and organizations.
Brand Strategy – A Fine Line Exists Between Enforcement of Trademark Rights &...Leonard Milenkovic
A brand is legally entitled to police and protect its trademarks, with the right to oppose a mark if it feels threatened, or if the mark is similar or identical. It is key to research the opposing business and mark and whether the mark is going to effect your brand. To evaluate the realistic outcomes when pursuing to oppose a trademark application.
3D Shapes & Chocolate – Square. Practically. Good. Protected by TrademarksLeonard Milenkovic
Trademark – From an International Perspective: Chocolate manufacturer Ritter wins out over Milka in trademark battle of square-shaped chocolate in Germany
2024 State of Marketing Report – by HubspotMarius Sescu
https://www.hubspot.com/state-of-marketing
· Scaling relationships and proving ROI
· Social media is the place for search, sales, and service
· Authentic influencer partnerships fuel brand growth
· The strongest connections happen via call, click, chat, and camera.
· Time saved with AI leads to more creative work
· Seeking: A single source of truth
· TLDR; Get on social, try AI, and align your systems.
· More human marketing, powered by robots
ChatGPT is a revolutionary addition to the world since its introduction in 2022. A big shift in the sector of information gathering and processing happened because of this chatbot. What is the story of ChatGPT? How is the bot responding to prompts and generating contents? Swipe through these slides prepared by Expeed Software, a web development company regarding the development and technical intricacies of ChatGPT!
Product Design Trends in 2024 | Teenage EngineeringsPixeldarts
The realm of product design is a constantly changing environment where technology and style intersect. Every year introduces fresh challenges and exciting trends that mold the future of this captivating art form. In this piece, we delve into the significant trends set to influence the look and functionality of product design in the year 2024.
How Race, Age and Gender Shape Attitudes Towards Mental HealthThinkNow
Mental health has been in the news quite a bit lately. Dozens of U.S. states are currently suing Meta for contributing to the youth mental health crisis by inserting addictive features into their products, while the U.S. Surgeon General is touring the nation to bring awareness to the growing epidemic of loneliness and isolation. The country has endured periods of low national morale, such as in the 1970s when high inflation and the energy crisis worsened public sentiment following the Vietnam War. The current mood, however, feels different. Gallup recently reported that national mental health is at an all-time low, with few bright spots to lift spirits.
To better understand how Americans are feeling and their attitudes towards mental health in general, ThinkNow conducted a nationally representative quantitative survey of 1,500 respondents and found some interesting differences among ethnic, age and gender groups.
Technology
For example, 52% agree that technology and social media have a negative impact on mental health, but when broken out by race, 61% of Whites felt technology had a negative effect, and only 48% of Hispanics thought it did.
While technology has helped us keep in touch with friends and family in faraway places, it appears to have degraded our ability to connect in person. Staying connected online is a double-edged sword since the same news feed that brings us pictures of the grandkids and fluffy kittens also feeds us news about the wars in Israel and Ukraine, the dysfunction in Washington, the latest mass shooting and the climate crisis.
Hispanics may have a built-in defense against the isolation technology breeds, owing to their large, multigenerational households, strong social support systems, and tendency to use social media to stay connected with relatives abroad.
Age and Gender
When asked how individuals rate their mental health, men rate it higher than women by 11 percentage points, and Baby Boomers rank it highest at 83%, saying it’s good or excellent vs. 57% of Gen Z saying the same.
Gen Z spends the most amount of time on social media, so the notion that social media negatively affects mental health appears to be correlated. Unfortunately, Gen Z is also the generation that’s least comfortable discussing mental health concerns with healthcare professionals. Only 40% of them state they’re comfortable discussing their issues with a professional compared to 60% of Millennials and 65% of Boomers.
Race Affects Attitudes
As seen in previous research conducted by ThinkNow, Asian Americans lag other groups when it comes to awareness of mental health issues. Twenty-four percent of Asian Americans believe that having a mental health issue is a sign of weakness compared to the 16% average for all groups. Asians are also considerably less likely to be aware of mental health services in their communities (42% vs. 55%) and most likely to seek out information on social media (51% vs. 35%).
The strategic question of what constitutes ‘genuine use’ of a Community Trademark (now EU Trademark), particularly on the territorial requirements, is often asked at European level. Is use required throughout the EU, for example; or, is proof of use of the mark in one market sufficient?
How do you reach genuine use of trademarks on the EU Single Market?
Trademark Use - The European Perspective (English Version)Leonard Milenkovic
Sep/Oct. 2020
English version of the Swedish article on European Use of Trademarks published in the IP magazine BrandNews. Update includes added legal research and input from presentations held at IP law firms and organizations.
Brand Strategy – A Fine Line Exists Between Enforcement of Trademark Rights &...Leonard Milenkovic
A brand is legally entitled to police and protect its trademarks, with the right to oppose a mark if it feels threatened, or if the mark is similar or identical. It is key to research the opposing business and mark and whether the mark is going to effect your brand. To evaluate the realistic outcomes when pursuing to oppose a trademark application.
3D Shapes & Chocolate – Square. Practically. Good. Protected by TrademarksLeonard Milenkovic
Trademark – From an International Perspective: Chocolate manufacturer Ritter wins out over Milka in trademark battle of square-shaped chocolate in Germany
2024 State of Marketing Report – by HubspotMarius Sescu
https://www.hubspot.com/state-of-marketing
· Scaling relationships and proving ROI
· Social media is the place for search, sales, and service
· Authentic influencer partnerships fuel brand growth
· The strongest connections happen via call, click, chat, and camera.
· Time saved with AI leads to more creative work
· Seeking: A single source of truth
· TLDR; Get on social, try AI, and align your systems.
· More human marketing, powered by robots
ChatGPT is a revolutionary addition to the world since its introduction in 2022. A big shift in the sector of information gathering and processing happened because of this chatbot. What is the story of ChatGPT? How is the bot responding to prompts and generating contents? Swipe through these slides prepared by Expeed Software, a web development company regarding the development and technical intricacies of ChatGPT!
Product Design Trends in 2024 | Teenage EngineeringsPixeldarts
The realm of product design is a constantly changing environment where technology and style intersect. Every year introduces fresh challenges and exciting trends that mold the future of this captivating art form. In this piece, we delve into the significant trends set to influence the look and functionality of product design in the year 2024.
How Race, Age and Gender Shape Attitudes Towards Mental HealthThinkNow
Mental health has been in the news quite a bit lately. Dozens of U.S. states are currently suing Meta for contributing to the youth mental health crisis by inserting addictive features into their products, while the U.S. Surgeon General is touring the nation to bring awareness to the growing epidemic of loneliness and isolation. The country has endured periods of low national morale, such as in the 1970s when high inflation and the energy crisis worsened public sentiment following the Vietnam War. The current mood, however, feels different. Gallup recently reported that national mental health is at an all-time low, with few bright spots to lift spirits.
To better understand how Americans are feeling and their attitudes towards mental health in general, ThinkNow conducted a nationally representative quantitative survey of 1,500 respondents and found some interesting differences among ethnic, age and gender groups.
Technology
For example, 52% agree that technology and social media have a negative impact on mental health, but when broken out by race, 61% of Whites felt technology had a negative effect, and only 48% of Hispanics thought it did.
While technology has helped us keep in touch with friends and family in faraway places, it appears to have degraded our ability to connect in person. Staying connected online is a double-edged sword since the same news feed that brings us pictures of the grandkids and fluffy kittens also feeds us news about the wars in Israel and Ukraine, the dysfunction in Washington, the latest mass shooting and the climate crisis.
Hispanics may have a built-in defense against the isolation technology breeds, owing to their large, multigenerational households, strong social support systems, and tendency to use social media to stay connected with relatives abroad.
Age and Gender
When asked how individuals rate their mental health, men rate it higher than women by 11 percentage points, and Baby Boomers rank it highest at 83%, saying it’s good or excellent vs. 57% of Gen Z saying the same.
Gen Z spends the most amount of time on social media, so the notion that social media negatively affects mental health appears to be correlated. Unfortunately, Gen Z is also the generation that’s least comfortable discussing mental health concerns with healthcare professionals. Only 40% of them state they’re comfortable discussing their issues with a professional compared to 60% of Millennials and 65% of Boomers.
Race Affects Attitudes
As seen in previous research conducted by ThinkNow, Asian Americans lag other groups when it comes to awareness of mental health issues. Twenty-four percent of Asian Americans believe that having a mental health issue is a sign of weakness compared to the 16% average for all groups. Asians are also considerably less likely to be aware of mental health services in their communities (42% vs. 55%) and most likely to seek out information on social media (51% vs. 35%).
AI Trends in Creative Operations 2024 by Artwork Flow.pdfmarketingartwork
This article is all about what AI trends will emerge in the field of creative operations in 2024. All the marketers and brand builders should be aware of these trends for their further use and save themselves some time!
A report by thenetworkone and Kurio.
The contributing experts and agencies are (in an alphabetical order): Sylwia Rytel, Social Media Supervisor, 180heartbeats + JUNG v MATT (PL), Sharlene Jenner, Vice President - Director of Engagement Strategy, Abelson Taylor (USA), Alex Casanovas, Digital Director, Atrevia (ES), Dora Beilin, Senior Social Strategist, Barrett Hoffher (USA), Min Seo, Campaign Director, Brand New Agency (KR), Deshé M. Gully, Associate Strategist, Day One Agency (USA), Francesca Trevisan, Strategist, Different (IT), Trevor Crossman, CX and Digital Transformation Director; Olivia Hussey, Strategic Planner; Simi Srinarula, Social Media Manager, The Hallway (AUS), James Hebbert, Managing Director, Hylink (CN / UK), Mundy Álvarez, Planning Director; Pedro Rojas, Social Media Manager; Pancho González, CCO, Inbrax (CH), Oana Oprea, Head of Digital Planning, Jam Session Agency (RO), Amy Bottrill, Social Account Director, Launch (UK), Gaby Arriaga, Founder, Leonardo1452 (MX), Shantesh S Row, Creative Director, Liwa (UAE), Rajesh Mehta, Chief Strategy Officer; Dhruv Gaur, Digital Planning Lead; Leonie Mergulhao, Account Supervisor - Social Media & PR, Medulla (IN), Aurelija Plioplytė, Head of Digital & Social, Not Perfect (LI), Daiana Khaidargaliyeva, Account Manager, Osaka Labs (UK / USA), Stefanie Söhnchen, Vice President Digital, PIABO Communications (DE), Elisabeth Winiartati, Managing Consultant, Head of Global Integrated Communications; Lydia Aprina, Account Manager, Integrated Marketing and Communications; Nita Prabowo, Account Manager, Integrated Marketing and Communications; Okhi, Web Developer, PNTR Group (ID), Kei Obusan, Insights Director; Daffi Ranandi, Insights Manager, Radarr (SG), Gautam Reghunath, Co-founder & CEO, Talented (IN), Donagh Humphreys, Head of Social and Digital Innovation, THINKHOUSE (IRE), Sarah Yim, Strategy Director, Zulu Alpha Kilo (CA).
Trends In Paid Search: Navigating The Digital Landscape In 2024Search Engine Journal
The search marketing landscape is evolving rapidly with new technologies, and professionals, like you, rely on innovative paid search strategies to meet changing demands.
It’s important that you’re ready to implement new strategies in 2024.
Check this out and learn the top trends in paid search advertising that are expected to gain traction, so you can drive higher ROI more efficiently in 2024.
You’ll learn:
- The latest trends in AI and automation, and what this means for an evolving paid search ecosystem.
- New developments in privacy and data regulation.
- Emerging ad formats that are expected to make an impact next year.
Watch Sreekant Lanka from iQuanti and Irina Klein from OneMain Financial as they dive into the future of paid search and explore the trends, strategies, and technologies that will shape the search marketing landscape.
If you’re looking to assess your paid search strategy and design an industry-aligned plan for 2024, then this webinar is for you.
5 Public speaking tips from TED - Visualized summarySpeakerHub
From their humble beginnings in 1984, TED has grown into the world’s most powerful amplifier for speakers and thought-leaders to share their ideas. They have over 2,400 filmed talks (not including the 30,000+ TEDx videos) freely available online, and have hosted over 17,500 events around the world.
With over one billion views in a year, it’s no wonder that so many speakers are looking to TED for ideas on how to share their message more effectively.
The article “5 Public-Speaking Tips TED Gives Its Speakers”, by Carmine Gallo for Forbes, gives speakers five practical ways to connect with their audience, and effectively share their ideas on stage.
Whether you are gearing up to get on a TED stage yourself, or just want to master the skills that so many of their speakers possess, these tips and quotes from Chris Anderson, the TED Talks Curator, will encourage you to make the most impactful impression on your audience.
See the full article and more summaries like this on SpeakerHub here: https://speakerhub.com/blog/5-presentation-tips-ted-gives-its-speakers
See the original article on Forbes here:
http://www.forbes.com/forbes/welcome/?toURL=http://www.forbes.com/sites/carminegallo/2016/05/06/5-public-speaking-tips-ted-gives-its-speakers/&refURL=&referrer=#5c07a8221d9b
ChatGPT and the Future of Work - Clark Boyd Clark Boyd
Everyone is in agreement that ChatGPT (and other generative AI tools) will shape the future of work. Yet there is little consensus on exactly how, when, and to what extent this technology will change our world.
Businesses that extract maximum value from ChatGPT will use it as a collaborative tool for everything from brainstorming to technical maintenance.
For individuals, now is the time to pinpoint the skills the future professional will need to thrive in the AI age.
Check out this presentation to understand what ChatGPT is, how it will shape the future of work, and how you can prepare to take advantage.
A brief introduction to DataScience with explaining of the concepts, algorithms, machine learning, supervised and unsupervised learning, clustering, statistics, data preprocessing, real-world applications etc.
It's part of a Data Science Corner Campaign where I will be discussing the fundamentals of DataScience, AIML, Statistics etc.
Time Management & Productivity - Best PracticesVit Horky
Here's my presentation on by proven best practices how to manage your work time effectively and how to improve your productivity. It includes practical tips and how to use tools such as Slack, Google Apps, Hubspot, Google Calendar, Gmail and others.
The six step guide to practical project managementMindGenius
The six step guide to practical project management
If you think managing projects is too difficult, think again.
We’ve stripped back project management processes to the
basics – to make it quicker and easier, without sacrificing
the vital ingredients for success.
“If you’re looking for some real-world guidance, then The Six Step Guide to Practical Project Management will help.”
Dr Andrew Makar, Tactical Project Management
Unlocking the Power of ChatGPT and AI in Testing - A Real-World Look, present...Applitools
During this webinar, Anand Bagmar demonstrates how AI tools such as ChatGPT can be applied to various stages of the software development life cycle (SDLC) using an eCommerce application case study. Find the on-demand recording and more info at https://applitools.info/b59
Key takeaways:
• Learn how to use ChatGPT to add AI power to your testing and test automation
• Understand the limitations of the technology and where human expertise is crucial
• Gain insight into different AI-based tools
• Adopt AI-based tools to stay relevant and optimize work for developers and testers
* ChatGPT and OpenAI belong to OpenAI, L.L.C.
More than Just Lines on a Map: Best Practices for U.S Bike Routes
This session highlights best practices and lessons learned for U.S. Bike Route System designation, as well as how and why these routes should be integrated into bicycle planning at the local and regional level.
Presenters:
Presenter: Kevin Luecke Toole Design Group
Co-Presenter: Virginia Sullivan Adventure Cycling Association
AI Trends in Creative Operations 2024 by Artwork Flow.pdfmarketingartwork
This article is all about what AI trends will emerge in the field of creative operations in 2024. All the marketers and brand builders should be aware of these trends for their further use and save themselves some time!
A report by thenetworkone and Kurio.
The contributing experts and agencies are (in an alphabetical order): Sylwia Rytel, Social Media Supervisor, 180heartbeats + JUNG v MATT (PL), Sharlene Jenner, Vice President - Director of Engagement Strategy, Abelson Taylor (USA), Alex Casanovas, Digital Director, Atrevia (ES), Dora Beilin, Senior Social Strategist, Barrett Hoffher (USA), Min Seo, Campaign Director, Brand New Agency (KR), Deshé M. Gully, Associate Strategist, Day One Agency (USA), Francesca Trevisan, Strategist, Different (IT), Trevor Crossman, CX and Digital Transformation Director; Olivia Hussey, Strategic Planner; Simi Srinarula, Social Media Manager, The Hallway (AUS), James Hebbert, Managing Director, Hylink (CN / UK), Mundy Álvarez, Planning Director; Pedro Rojas, Social Media Manager; Pancho González, CCO, Inbrax (CH), Oana Oprea, Head of Digital Planning, Jam Session Agency (RO), Amy Bottrill, Social Account Director, Launch (UK), Gaby Arriaga, Founder, Leonardo1452 (MX), Shantesh S Row, Creative Director, Liwa (UAE), Rajesh Mehta, Chief Strategy Officer; Dhruv Gaur, Digital Planning Lead; Leonie Mergulhao, Account Supervisor - Social Media & PR, Medulla (IN), Aurelija Plioplytė, Head of Digital & Social, Not Perfect (LI), Daiana Khaidargaliyeva, Account Manager, Osaka Labs (UK / USA), Stefanie Söhnchen, Vice President Digital, PIABO Communications (DE), Elisabeth Winiartati, Managing Consultant, Head of Global Integrated Communications; Lydia Aprina, Account Manager, Integrated Marketing and Communications; Nita Prabowo, Account Manager, Integrated Marketing and Communications; Okhi, Web Developer, PNTR Group (ID), Kei Obusan, Insights Director; Daffi Ranandi, Insights Manager, Radarr (SG), Gautam Reghunath, Co-founder & CEO, Talented (IN), Donagh Humphreys, Head of Social and Digital Innovation, THINKHOUSE (IRE), Sarah Yim, Strategy Director, Zulu Alpha Kilo (CA).
Trends In Paid Search: Navigating The Digital Landscape In 2024Search Engine Journal
The search marketing landscape is evolving rapidly with new technologies, and professionals, like you, rely on innovative paid search strategies to meet changing demands.
It’s important that you’re ready to implement new strategies in 2024.
Check this out and learn the top trends in paid search advertising that are expected to gain traction, so you can drive higher ROI more efficiently in 2024.
You’ll learn:
- The latest trends in AI and automation, and what this means for an evolving paid search ecosystem.
- New developments in privacy and data regulation.
- Emerging ad formats that are expected to make an impact next year.
Watch Sreekant Lanka from iQuanti and Irina Klein from OneMain Financial as they dive into the future of paid search and explore the trends, strategies, and technologies that will shape the search marketing landscape.
If you’re looking to assess your paid search strategy and design an industry-aligned plan for 2024, then this webinar is for you.
5 Public speaking tips from TED - Visualized summarySpeakerHub
From their humble beginnings in 1984, TED has grown into the world’s most powerful amplifier for speakers and thought-leaders to share their ideas. They have over 2,400 filmed talks (not including the 30,000+ TEDx videos) freely available online, and have hosted over 17,500 events around the world.
With over one billion views in a year, it’s no wonder that so many speakers are looking to TED for ideas on how to share their message more effectively.
The article “5 Public-Speaking Tips TED Gives Its Speakers”, by Carmine Gallo for Forbes, gives speakers five practical ways to connect with their audience, and effectively share their ideas on stage.
Whether you are gearing up to get on a TED stage yourself, or just want to master the skills that so many of their speakers possess, these tips and quotes from Chris Anderson, the TED Talks Curator, will encourage you to make the most impactful impression on your audience.
See the full article and more summaries like this on SpeakerHub here: https://speakerhub.com/blog/5-presentation-tips-ted-gives-its-speakers
See the original article on Forbes here:
http://www.forbes.com/forbes/welcome/?toURL=http://www.forbes.com/sites/carminegallo/2016/05/06/5-public-speaking-tips-ted-gives-its-speakers/&refURL=&referrer=#5c07a8221d9b
ChatGPT and the Future of Work - Clark Boyd Clark Boyd
Everyone is in agreement that ChatGPT (and other generative AI tools) will shape the future of work. Yet there is little consensus on exactly how, when, and to what extent this technology will change our world.
Businesses that extract maximum value from ChatGPT will use it as a collaborative tool for everything from brainstorming to technical maintenance.
For individuals, now is the time to pinpoint the skills the future professional will need to thrive in the AI age.
Check out this presentation to understand what ChatGPT is, how it will shape the future of work, and how you can prepare to take advantage.
A brief introduction to DataScience with explaining of the concepts, algorithms, machine learning, supervised and unsupervised learning, clustering, statistics, data preprocessing, real-world applications etc.
It's part of a Data Science Corner Campaign where I will be discussing the fundamentals of DataScience, AIML, Statistics etc.
Time Management & Productivity - Best PracticesVit Horky
Here's my presentation on by proven best practices how to manage your work time effectively and how to improve your productivity. It includes practical tips and how to use tools such as Slack, Google Apps, Hubspot, Google Calendar, Gmail and others.
The six step guide to practical project managementMindGenius
The six step guide to practical project management
If you think managing projects is too difficult, think again.
We’ve stripped back project management processes to the
basics – to make it quicker and easier, without sacrificing
the vital ingredients for success.
“If you’re looking for some real-world guidance, then The Six Step Guide to Practical Project Management will help.”
Dr Andrew Makar, Tactical Project Management
Unlocking the Power of ChatGPT and AI in Testing - A Real-World Look, present...Applitools
During this webinar, Anand Bagmar demonstrates how AI tools such as ChatGPT can be applied to various stages of the software development life cycle (SDLC) using an eCommerce application case study. Find the on-demand recording and more info at https://applitools.info/b59
Key takeaways:
• Learn how to use ChatGPT to add AI power to your testing and test automation
• Understand the limitations of the technology and where human expertise is crucial
• Gain insight into different AI-based tools
• Adopt AI-based tools to stay relevant and optimize work for developers and testers
* ChatGPT and OpenAI belong to OpenAI, L.L.C.
More than Just Lines on a Map: Best Practices for U.S Bike Routes
This session highlights best practices and lessons learned for U.S. Bike Route System designation, as well as how and why these routes should be integrated into bicycle planning at the local and regional level.
Presenters:
Presenter: Kevin Luecke Toole Design Group
Co-Presenter: Virginia Sullivan Adventure Cycling Association
More than Just Lines on a Map: Best Practices for U.S Bike Routes
European Use of Trademarks (Swedish)
1. BRANDNEWS 3/201424
EU
Gemenskapsvarumärkets syfte är att möj-
liggöra tillgång till den inre marknaden. Om
ett gemenskapsvarumärke endast används
lokalt inom Europeiska unionen (EU) av till
exempel ett maltesiskt företag, där Malta har
300,000 invånare och Tyskland 83 miljoner,
är det inte i linje med syftet med gemen-
skapsvarumärket.
Varumärkesregistreringarna är en succé,men
givet den konstanta ökningen i varumärkes-
registret finns det i princip en risk att ett lokalt
använt gemenskapsvarumärke kan blockera
hela EU varumärkesmässigt.1
Varumärken som konkurrensmedel på
den inre marknaden
Vad som egentligen utgör verkligt bruk och
hur kraven skall tolkas är en aktuell och
omdiskuterad fråga, framförallt vilken geo-
grafisk användning som är tillräcklig.2
Ett
gemenskapsvarumärke måste användas
inom gemenskapen inom en femårsperiod
efter det att registreringen är gjord enligt
artikel 15 i förordningen om gemenskapsva-
rumärken (VMF).3
Om det inte har använts
under denna tid kan det komma att hävas.
Den inre marknaden och den fria rörligheten
är en av grundbultarna i EU, och för ett land
som Sverige är det avgörande att ha tillgång
till den inre marknaden. Gemenskapsvaru-
märken har rättsverkan inom hela EU, vilket
innebär att produkter och tjänster identifie-
ras på likartat sätt. Företag erbjuds liknande
förutsättningar på gemenskapsnivån som på
medlemsstatsnivån.4
Verkligt bruk - huvudprinciper inom EU
Verkligt bruk uppstår när ett varumärke
används i enlighet med sin grundläggande
funktion som ursprungsangivelse m.m., och
det i en faktisk användning som inte är fiktiv
samt inte enbart syftar till att bibehålla rätten
till kännetecknet.
Även mycket begränsad användning av
ett varumärke kan utgöra verkligt bruk enligt
rättspraxis.5
Användningen får inte bara vara intern
utan måste användas utåt på marknaden.
Samtliga omständigheter skall beaktas med
betoning på att bibehålla eller skapa mark-
nadsandelar och användningens omfattning.
För detta krävs att märket används för att
främja avsättningen av de varor eller tjänster
som varumärket har registrerats för.6
Det kan även finnas giltigt skäl för att
varumärket inte har använts. Användning av
varumärket i en form som skiljer sig i detal-
jer, vilka inte förändrar märkets särskiljande
egenskaper och användning av annan med
tillstånd,kan också ses som verkligt bruk.
Europeiska rådet och kommissionen kom
ut med en gemensam förklaring 1993 avse-
ende frågan om den geografiska utsträck-
ningen,dvs verkligt bruk i gemenskapen:
“the Council and the Commission consider that
use which is genuine within the meaning of
Article 15 in one country constitutes genuine use
in the Community.”7
EU:s officiella varumärkesbyrå Office
for Harmonization for the Internal Market
(OHIM), har därmed ansett att användning
i endast en medlemsstat räcker för att upp-
fylla kravet på verkligt bruk i gemenskapen,
när frågan kommer upp i registrerings- och
hävningsärenden.
Bakgrunden till ONEL
- den geografiska utsträckningen
ifrågasätts i Benelux
Hagelkruis Beheer ville registrera OMEL
som ett Beneluxvarumärke 2009. Leno Mer-
ken, rättighetsinnehavare till gemenskaps-
varumärket ONEL sedan 2003, invände mot
ansökan eftersom deras varumärke delvis
registrerats i samma varuklasser.
Hagelkruis Beheer menade att ONEL
endast använts i Nederländerna och att det
inte var tillräckligt för att kunna anses utgöra
verkligt bruk enligt VMF, och begärde att
Leno Merken skulle bevisa verkligt bruk.
Beneluxländernas Immaterialrättsmyn-
dighet (BOIP) avslog Leno Merkens invänd-
ning och anförde som skäl att användandet
av ONEL ansågs otillräckligt för att bedömas
som verkligt bruk i EU och rättfärdigade där-
DETEUROPEISKA
ANVÄNDNINGSTVÅNGET
EFTERONEL-AVGÖRANDET
Av Leonard Neno Milenkovic
2. 25BRANDNEWS 3/2014
EU
med inte den omfattande ensamrätten:
“[EU] territory (currently) covering more than
four million square kilometers and a (current)
population of almost 500 million people, use in
one Member State only may essentially boil
down to local use only.”
“The invoked right is a CTM and parties
have admitted that it has only been used in the
Netherlands.The services for which the invoked
right is registered are destined at a large public
located throughout the entire Community.Use in
only the Netherlands can, given these facts, not
be classified as normal use of the invoked right.”8
Plats för användning
– räcker en medlemsstat för verkligt
bruk i gemenskapen?
Leno Merken överklagade beslutet som där-
efter hänvisades till EU-domstolen där de
fyra frågorna som den nederländska domsto-
len hade ställt omformulerades av EU-dom-
stolen. Frågeformuleringen begränsades till
huruvida artikel 15 (1)VMF skall tolkas som
att verkligt bruk i en medlemsstat är tillräck-
ligt för“verkligt bruk”, eller skall man bortse
från de territoriella gränserna?
EU-domstolens bedömning är att det
kan vara tillräckligt att varumärket används
endast i en medlemsstat i enlighet med den
så kallade ”Single Market”-teorin där grän-
serna mellan länderna är irrelevanta.9
Kärn-
frågan gäller istället huruvida varumärket
har använts i syfte att upprätthålla eller skapa
marknadsandelar för varor och tjänster som
omfattas av varumärket.10
Alla omständig-
heter och förhållanden skall vägas samman
och därefter bedömas i nationella domsto-
larna med vägledning av kriterierna i främst
Ansul.11
“The territorial scope of the use is not a sepa-
rate condition for genuine use but one of the
factors determining genuine use, which must be
included in the overall analysis and examined at
the same time as other factors”.12
Verkligt bruk – registrera vad du använ-
der och använd vad du registrerar
Varumärken bör användas på ett effektivt
sätt för att främja konkurrensen. Varumär-
ken skall dessutom verkligen användas för
att inte ”stoppa upp”systemet, eftersom till-
gången på bra varumärken och kännetecken
anses vara begränsad.
Verkligt bruk skall skydda mot att företag
registrerar varumärken, utan avsikt att
använda dem, i syfte att hindra andra från att
använda varumärket.
Möjligheten finns att registrera varumär-
ken som de facto avses användas i framtiden,
”medan (oönskade) defensiva registreringar
knappast blir meningsfulla vid ett använd-
ningstvång är det i praktiken viktigt att
kunna registrera offensivt. […] Det kan vara
meningsfullt att ha rätten klar,innan man går
ut på marknaden”.13
Exempel på när det är (o)tillräckligt
med bruk i en medlemsstat
Ett varumärke för en viss produkt eller tjänst
Helrätt.
Malmö 040-664 44 00 Helsingborg 042-19 84 60 Lund 046-19 05 20 Stockholm 08-24 93 00 www.gulliksson.se
Advokatbyrån Gulliksson är en av de största advokatbyråerna i Sverige
när det gäller kvalificerad rådgivning och service inom immaterialrätt.
Lägg därtill en lång rad tjänster inom svensk och internationell affärs-
juridik. Och du har alla möjligheter att göra en bättre affär.
3. 27BRANDNEWS 3/2014
som endast utnyttjats i ett land anses ha varit
föremål för tillräcklig grad av verkligt bruk,
om landet ifråga är framstående inom den
marknadssektor till vilken varumärket är
relaterat. Ett exempel kan vara ett varumärke
som omfattar surströmming och som endast
har utnyttjats i Sverige som är framstående
inom just denna marknadssektor.
Min slutsats är att om den relevanta mark-
naden är vidare i sitt omfång – till exempel
inom finansiella tjänster – skulle det vara
svårt att hävda att användandet av gemen-
skapsvarumärket i endast en medlemsstat
utgör verkligt bruk inom EU.
Avslutande reflektioner
Teoretiskt sett kan det inledande maltesiska
exemplet hindra nya registeringar i EU, trots
att det maltesiska märket egentligen kanske
bara behöver skydd i ett begränsat geogra-
fiskt område.14
Eftersom användning i endast en med-
lemsstat kan vara tillräcklig, öppnar man
även upp för ett mycket vidsträckt skydd för
varumärken enligt Max Planck Institutets
studie. Risken att de nationella tolkning-
arna av den geografiska spridningen av ett
varumärke kan komma att skilja sig åt i vik-
tiga hänseenden kan vara viktig att belysa.
Väldigt begränsad kommersiell användning
har räckt i rättspraxis vilket kan ställas mot
nationella bedömningar där substanstiella
volymer av användning i handel kan komma
att krävas.
Ett för lågt krav lämnar utrymme för defen-
siva registreringar och ett för omfattande
kommersiellt krav kan hindra mindre företag
att konkurrera på lika villkor, vilket skulle
motverka själva syftet med gemenskapsva-
rumärken.
Det finns en tendens att välja gemen-
skapsvarumärken framför ett nationellt,
även om ett eller fler nationella varumärken
skulle täcka behovet och registrering omfat-
tar fler varor eller tjänster än nödvändigt.15
Om verkligt bruk inte kan påvisas vid en tvist
finns visserligen möjligheten att omvandla
det till nationella varumärkesregistreringar
där verkligt bruk påvisats.16
Avslutningsvis bör poängteras att det är
av vikt att definiera marknaden för gemen-
skapsvarumärket, särskilt den geografiska
utsträckningen, och användningens omfatt-
ning på den avsedda marknaden. Synen på
att ett gemenskapsvarumärke skall användas
i ett större geografiskt område än ett natio-
nellt varumärke överensstämmer med avsik-
ten med gemenskapsvarumärket,alltså att ge
företag ett effektivt konkurrensmedel på den
inre marknaden.17
Leonard Neno Milenkovic, med bakgrund i
exportbranschen och näringslivet är affärs-
jurist i sin konsultverksamhet Accidea.
Artikeln är baserad på hans juris magister-
uppsats i europeisk immaterialrätt vid
Stockholms universitet: ”The Concept of
Genuine Use of Community Trademarks – Is
use in one EU Member State really enough to
constitute genuine use?” och tidigare artikel i
Nordiskt Immateriellt Rättsskydd Genuine use
of a Community Trademark. How to interpret
use “in the Community”.
1 Se Milenkovic, Leonard Neno, Genuine use of a Community Trade-
mark. How to interpret use “in the Community”, Nordiskt Immateriellt
Rättsskydd (NIR) 2013 s. 586 [Milenkovic], Kur, Annette, Open Questions
After ONEL/OMEL: What Kind of Use is This? IPR info Kur.
2 Mål C-149/11 Leno Merken BV AG v Hagelkruis Beheer BV [ONEL].
3 Förordning (EG) nr 40/94 (numera nr 207/2009) av den 20 december
1993 om gemenskapsvarumärken (VMF).
4 ONEL, punkterna 40 och 42.
5 Om användningen är allvarligt menad för att behålla/skapa marknads-
andelar: C-40/01 Ansul BV v. Ajax Brandbeveiliging BV, 2003 s I-02439
[Ansul], C-259/02 [La Mer Tech] och C-416/04 [Sunrider].
6 I doktrin har detta uttryckts att de produkter som varumärket är regist-
rerat för skall ha marknadsförts i normala aktiviteter gentemot allmänhe-
ten.
7 Joint statements by the Council and the Commission of the European
Communities entered in the minutes of the Council meeting, at which
the Regulation 207/2009 on the Community trade mark was adopted on
December 20, 1993 [Gemensamma förklaringen].
8 Decision No. 2004448 of Benelux Office for Protection of Intellec-
tual Property (BOIP), Intellectuele Eigendom en Reclamerecht 2010/29
[ONEL/OMEL], punkterna 34, 37-38; Den gemensamma förklaringen
ansågs inte heller hållbar längre i bedömningen av verkligt bruk i gemen-
skapen.
9 Se Max Planck Institutet för immaterialrätts- och konkurrenslagstift-
ning, Study on the overall functioning of the European trade mark system,
2011-02-15, s. 47, [Max Planck Institutets studie].
10 ONEL, punkt 29.
11 Ansul, punkt 43; jfr. ONEL punkt 58: “taking account of all the relevant
facts and circumstances, including: the characteristics of the market con-
cerned; the nature of the goods or services protected by the trade mark;
the territorial extent; the scale of the use as well as its frequency and regu-
larity.”
12 ONEL, punkterna 30, 36.
13 Levin, Marianne, Lärobok i immaterialrätt, s. 406, 10 uppl., Nordstedts
Juridik, Stockholm 2011.
14 Se Milenkovic.
15 Pihlajarinne, Taina, What is meant by “genuine use” of a trademark?
NIR 2009, s. 348.
16 Artikel 112 (2) (a) VMF.
17 ONEL, punkt 54; Denna aspekt ses som "rimlig" enligt EU-domstolen,
“it is reasonable to expect that a Community trade mark should be used in
a larger area than a national mark”.
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