美国《商标淡化修正法案》述评

Review of the Trademark Dilution Revision Act of 2006

美国的《商标淡化修正法案》明言采"淡化之虞"标准,从而推翻了此前VSecret案的判决。同时该法正式确认了"污损"与"模糊"两种淡化类型,严格了"驰名"要件,并扩展了其保护范围。尽管与之前规定相比有进步,问题却依然存在。鉴于其核心概念依旧莫测难明,淡化理论之前景尚未可知,这就使得美国法院负有责任(同时也享有权力)以界定"淡化"。除非能发展出更为精确、与现行规则更为和谐的基础理论,否则,法官们仍可能以其一贯的狐疑态度对待新法,而这曾经导致了旧法之核心部分失去了其应有效力。

The U. S. A. has recently enacted the Trademark Dilution Revision Act of 2006, which adopts a likelihood of dilution standard, abrogating the holding of V Secret. In addition, inter alia, the TDRA expressly endorses tarnishment and blurring as forms of dilution, tightens the fame prerequisite, clarifies that dilution protection is available for marks that have acquired distinctive- ness, and acknowledges, albeit in an oblique manner, that dilution protection is available for trade dress. Inprvovement notwithstanding, in comparison with the previous act, old problems remain. The central concepts in dilution law remain enigmatic, the future of dilution is somewhat still in limbo, leaving the courts with the responsibility - and the power - to delineate dilution＇s scope. Until independent rationales for dilution are articulated more precisely and connected to the contours of the implementing doctrine, it is likely that courts will receive the new version of dilution with the same skepticism that once led them to eviscerate the old law.