TRIPS协定下的非传统商标注册义务

Obligation of Registration of Non-conventional Trademarks under TRIPS Agreement

TRIPS协定第15条第一次在国际层面上采取宽泛的方式对商标进行了定义——任何标记或标记的组合,只要能够将一企业的商品和服务区别于其他企业的商品或服务,即能够构成商标。该定义没有限制可以构成商标的标记的类型,仅仅关注标记是否具有显著性。虽然TRIPS协定采取的宽泛定义以及非穷尽性的列举方式为非传统商标的保护提供了广阔的法律空间,实践中仍然存在很多理论问题需要明晰:TRIPS协定保护的非传统商标类型、各国注册保护非传统商标义务的性质、TRIPS协定下非传统商标注册义务的例外情况、我国非传统商标保护义务现状和改革需要。

Article 15 of TRIPS agreement defines the term trademark for the first time on the international level--any sign, or any combination of signs, capable of distinguishing the goods or services of one undertaking from those of other undertakings, shall be capable of constituting a trademark. Such definition solely focuses on the distinctiveness of trademarks, without limitation to the types of signs which can constitute trademarks. Although TRIPS agreement which adopts the broad definition of trademarks with non-exhaustive list of signs afford immense legal space for the registration of non-conventional trademarks, there are still several tricky questions need to be clarified including the types of non-conventional trademarks admitted by TRIPS agreement, the nature of the international law obligation for member states to protect non-conventional trademarks via registration, the exceptions to the above-mentioned obligation as well as the analysis of the current situation and forthcoming reform of non-conventional trademarks protected in China