欧盟商标法的改革及意义

The Review of the European Union Trademark Law Reforms

自1993年正式通过《共同体商标条例》以来,欧盟范围内两种并行的商标制度取得了巨大的成功:一方面是依托《共同体商标条例》所建立起的共同体商标制度,另一方面是通过《协调成员国商标立法指令》调和的各成员国国内商标制度。然而,随着欧盟商标制度的运行,实践中的种种问题逐渐凸显。为了深化欧盟商标制度一体化进程、促使欧盟商标制度更加现代化,经过近10年的改革之路,欧盟最终于2015年12月正式通过了欧盟商标制度的一揽子改革方案,其中涉及两个法律文件:取代原指令的《欧盟第2015/2436号指令》与修订后的《欧盟第2015/2424号条例》。此次商标法改革对主管机构的名称、注册程序、收费标准、涉嫌商标侵权的过境货物、商标保护程度等多个方面都做了重点调整。欧盟作为一体化程度最高的区域性政治经济组织,其商标法改革不仅将对欧盟内部产生影响,对商标的国际保护也会产生一定的影响,值得我国加以关注。

Since the Regulation（ EC） No 40 /94 has been formally adopted in 1993,the dual approach of EU trademark system achieved great success. On one hand,it has established an EU- wide trademark system according to the Community Trade Marks Regulation; on the other hand,it has allowed an harmonisation of the EU Member States＇ national trademark system according to the Directive 89 /104 / EEC. However,since the implementation of the EU trademark system,different kinds of critical issues have been and are still being raised.In order to further deepen the integration process of EU trademark system and to modernise it,and after a nearly ten- year reform process,the EU trademark reform legislative package has been adopted in December,2015.The reform consists of two legislative instruments： Directive（ EU） 2015 /2436,which replaces the existing EU Trade Mark Directive,and Regulation（ EU） 2015 /2424,which amends the existing EU Trade Mark Regulation. These reforms have introduced substantial changes in the aspects of the name of the Office,registration procedures,fee system,suspected counterfeit goods in transit,strength of trademark protection etc. As the most integrated regional political and economic organization,the EU trademark law reforms will not only have an impact at the EU level,but also will have some influence internationally. Therefore,this topic is of a high importance and deserves great concern.