商标侵权惩罚性赔偿数额认定的困境与出路

The dilemma and solution of determining the amount of punitive damages for trademark infringement

自我国《商标法》在2013年引入惩罚性赔偿制度以来,商标惩罚性赔偿的适用率较低。分析相关规范及近年法院公布适用惩罚性赔偿的典型案例发现,惩罚性赔偿数额认定面临基数计算方式混乱、赔偿倍数确定过于随意的困境。究其原因是权利人怠于或难以举证、相关规范中基数计算方式单一、赔偿倍数确定规则过于抽象等。基于此,在司法实践中应适当调整基数的证明规则,充分利用证明妨害制度,以相对精细化思维为基础确定灵活的基数计算方式,并以要素积累法进行赔偿倍数的司法认定,以提高我国商标侵权惩罚性赔偿司法适用的可操作性。

Since the introduction of the punitive damages system in China′s Trademark Law in 2013,the applicability of trademark punitive damages has been relatively low.This paper analyzes relevant regulations and typical cases of punitive damages announced by courts in recent years,and finds that in practice,the amount determination of punitive damages is faced with such difficulties as disordered base calculation and excessively arbitrary determination of compensation coefficients,which are caused by many factors like the difficulty for the obligee to provide evidence,the single base calculation method,and the very abstract rules for determining the compensation coefficient.In light of this,this paper provides some solutions to improve the feasibility of the judicial application of trademark punitive damages in China.First,the proof rules for the base should be adjusted appropriately.Second,the spoliation system should be fully utilized to determine a flexible base calculation method based on relatively refined thinking.Third,the judicial determination of the compensation coefficient should be quantified using the factor accumulation method.