从地方著名商标制度的废除看商标法理论的规范评价意义

Justification of Trademark Protection as Evaluating Instrument of Trademark Rules: Protection of Local Famous Trademarks as an Example

任何宣称归属于商标制度的规范,都必须接受商标法基础理论的评价。坚持这一点能避免在制度设计上走弯路。地方著名商标制度的废除证明了这一判断。商标制度正当性的核心在于降低市场交易中的信息成本,尤其是消费者的搜寻成本。但地方著名商标制度不仅臆断消费者希望通过商标积累哪些信息,而且越俎代庖地预测特定商标的未来价值。这两个方面不仅不能促进反而扭曲了市场中的信息流,与商标制度的正当性基础背道而驰。针对非地方著名商标制度无法保护小众商誉、无法推进知识产权战略的质疑,关于商标法正当性的基础理论能做出有力回应。因此,唯有始终坚持把商标法的基础理论作为评价具体制度的标准和构建体系化规范的主线,商标制度才能合乎逻辑地构建和发展。

Specific rules claiming to be part of the trademark system must be evaluated in accordance with the fundamental theory for the justification of trademark protection. Respecting such an approach can prevent such mistakes as the protection of local famous trademarks. The core justification of trademark system lies in the reduction of information cost,especially customers＇ search cost. Protecting local famous trademarks,however,cannot reduce such cost. In labeling certain trademarks as local famous ones,the regime not only second guesses the type of information which customers use trademarks to collect,but also makes unverifiable predictions about the future value of a certain trademark. In doing so,the regime distorts the information flow in the market. The theory for the justification of trademark protection therefore supports the abolishment of the protection of local famous trademarks. Besides,the fundamental theory for the justification of trademark protection is able to comfort people who fear that without protection of local famous trademarks,less well known marks cannot be well protected,or national IP strategy cannot be enforced efficiently. Overall,more attention shall be paid to the fundamental theory in trademark law when designing and evaluating specific rules.