RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE IP/C/W/40
10October 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-4167)
Original: English Council forTrade-Related Aspects
ofIntellectual Property Rights
REVIEW OFLEGISLATION ONTRADEMARKS, GEOGRAPHICAL
INDICATIONS AND INDUSTRIAL DESIGNS
Questions posed byJapan
Bymeans ofacommunication fromthePermanent Mission ofJapan, dated 4October 1996,
theSecretariat hasreceived questions thatJapan hadcommunicated tothefollowing WTO Members
concerning thereview ofnational implementing legislation intheareas oftrademarks, geographical
indications andindustrial designs:
Page
Australia 2
Czech Republic 2
European Communities andtheirMember States 3
Liechtenstein 6
NewZealand 6
Norway 7
South Africa 7
Switzerland 8
United States 8IP/C/W/40
Page2
AUSTRALIA
Industrial Designs
1. Since itisnotclearly stipulated intheDesigns Act1906 thattextile designs areprotected in
conformity withtheTRIPS Agreement, please explain under which provision oftheActorother
copyright related lawthesedesigns areprotected. Moreover, tomake surethattheopportunity toseek
andobtain protection fortextile designs isnotimpaired unreasonably, please explain yoursystem or
practice particularly withregard tocost,examination orpublication (cf.paragraph 2ofArticle 25of
theTRIPS Agreement).
2. Theword "making" isnotincluded inthescope ofinfringement provided forinSection 30
oftheDesigns Act1906. Aredesign rights appropriately protected inthatregard (cf.paragraph 1of
Article 26oftheTRIPS Agreement).
3. Inyourcountry, where theprovisions onthe"Crown use"areapplied, some restrictions are
imposed ontheowner ofaprotected industrial design: forexample, license feeswillnotbepaidto
theowner ofaregistered design. Isthere anypossibility thatthelegitimate interests ofarightholder
canbeunreasonably prejudiced within themeaning ofparagraph 2ofArticle 26oftheTRIPS
Agreement?
4. Inyourcountry, thefirstduration ofprotection available islessthantenyears, andanyrenewal
thereafter cannot berequested atthetimeofregistration. Itmayhappen, therefore, thattheduration
ofprotection islessthantenyears when thefirstduration haslapsed andtherestoration isnotpermitted
afterwards. Would thisnotbecontrary tothespirit ofparagraph 3ofArticle 26oftheTRIPS
Agreement?
CZECH REPUBLIC
Industrial Designs
1. Since itisnotclearly stipulated intheActonInventions, Industrial Designs andRationalization
Proposals thattextile designs areprotected inconformity withtheTRIPS Agreement, please explain
under which provision oftheActorother copyright related lawthesedesigns areprotected. Moreover,
tomake surethattheopportunity toseekandobtain protection fortextile designs isnotimpaired
unreasonably, please explain yoursystem orpractice particularly withregard tocost,examination or
publication (cf.paragraph 2ofArticle 25oftheTRIPS Agreement).
2. Theword "selling" isnotincluded inthescope ofworking onindustrial design provided for
inArticle 56oftheActonInventions, Industrial Designs andRationalization Proposals. Ifthephrase
"places suchproduct onthemarket" corresponds totheword"selling", please elaborate onthedifference
between thetwo(cf.paragraph 1ofArticle 26oftheTRIPS Agreement).
3. Inyourcountry, thefirstduration ofprotection available islessthantenyears, andanyrenewal
thereafter cannot berequested atthetimeofregistration. Itmayhappen, therefore, thattheduration
ofprotection islessthantenyears when thefirstduration haslapsed andtherestoration isnotpermitted
afterwards. Would thisnotbecontrary tothespirit ofparagraph 3ofArticle 26oftheTRIPS
Agreement?IP/C/W/40
Page3
EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES AND THEIR MEMBER STATES
EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
Trademarks
1. Please elaborate ondifferences between "well known trademarks" described inArticle 8(2)(c)
oftheEC'sTrademark Regulation (hereinafter referred toas"EC'sRegulation") and"reputed
trademarks" described inArticle 8(5)oftheEC'sRegulation.
2. Please explain whether ornot"where theusewithout duecause ofthetrademark applied for
would takeunfair advantage of,orbedetrimental to,thedistinctive character ortherepute oftheearlier
trademark" described inArticle 8(5)oftheEC'sRegulation isidentical with"provided thatuseof
atrademark inrelation togoods orservices which arenotsimilar tothose inrespect ofwhich the
trademark isregistered would indicate aconnection between those goods orservices andtheowner
oftheregistered trademark andprovided thattheinterests oftheowner oftheregistered trademarks
arelikely tobedamaged bysuchuse"asdescribed inparagraph 3ofArticle 16oftheTRIPS Agreement.
3. Please elaborate on"theusewithout duecause" described inArticle 8(5)oftheEC'sRegulation
bygiving examples, andplease explain whether ornotthetrademark maybeusedorisregistrable
when there is"duecause". Ifitisso,please explain itsconsistency withtheprovision of
paragraph 3ofArticle 16oftheTRIPS Agreement which makes noreference to"duecause".
4. Please explain differences between "thegenuine use"ofatrademark described inArticles 15
and50oftheEC'sRegulation and"theuse"ofthetrademark described inparagraph 1ofArticle 19
oftheTRIPS Agreement. Inthecasewhere atrademark isputto"theuse"asstipulated in
paragraph 1ofArticle 19oftheTRIPS Agreement, though notto"thegenuine use"asprovided for
intheEC'sRegulation, forthree years afterthelapse oftwoyears ofnon-use, would theregistration
ofthesaidtrademark becancelled pursuant toArticles 15and50oftheEC'sRegulation? Ifso,please
explain itsconsistency withtheprovision ofparagraph 1ofArticle 19oftheTRIPS Agreement.
5. Please identify theprovisions oftheEC'sRegulation implementing paragraph 5ofArticle 24
oftheTRIPS Agreement which deals withsuchcases asatrademark applied fororregistered ingood
faithbefore thedateofapplication oftheTRIPS Agreement orbefore thegeographical indication is
protected initscountry oforigin.
6. Article 46oftheEC'sRegulation stipulates thatatrademark shallberegistered foraperiod
oftenyears from thefiling date. Article 9(3)oftheEC'sRegulation, however, stipulates thatthe
rightsconferredbyaCommunitytrademarkshallprevailagainstthirdpartiesfromthedateofpublication
ofregistration ofatrademark. Ifittakes alongperiod oftimefromthefiling dateofanapplication
tothedateofpublication ofregistration ofatrademark, itmayhappen theoretically thatthetermduring
which theowner ofthetrademark canexercise theexclusive rightislessthanseven years. Inthis
regard, howistheconsistency withArticle 18oftheTRIPS Agreement ensured?IP/C/W/40
Page4
FINLAND
Industrial Designs
1. Since itisnotclearly stipulated intheDesign Protection Actthattextile designs areprotected
inconformity withtheTRIPS Agreement, please explain under which provision oftheActorother
copyright related lawthesedesigns areprotected. Moreover, tomake surethattheopportunity toseek
andobtain protection fortextile designs isnotimpaired unreasonably, please explain yoursystem or
practice particularly withregard tocost,examination orpublication (cf.paragraph 2ofArticle 25of
theTRIPS Agreement).
2. Theword "selling" isnotincluded inthescope oftherighttoadesign provided forin
Section 5oftheDesign Protection Act. Iftheword "assigning" corresponds totheword "selling",
please elaborate onthedifference between thetwo(cf.paragraph 1ofArticle 26oftheTRIPS
Agreement).
3. Inyourcountry, itisstipulated inSection 7oftheDesign Protection Actthatimportations
ofspare parts andaccessories tobeusedfortherepair ofaircraft maybeexcluded from therightto
adesign. Please explain itsconsistency withparagraph 2ofArticle 26oftheTRIPS Agreement.
4. Inyourcountry, thefirstduration ofprotection available islessthantenyears, andanyrenewal
thereafter cannot berequested atthetimeofregistration. Itmayhappen, therefore, thattheduration
ofprotection islessthantenyears when thefirstduration haslapsed andtherestoration isnotpermitted
afterwards. Would thisnotbecontrary tothespirit ofparagraph 3ofArticle 26oftheTRIPS
Agreement?
ITALY
Industrial Designs
Since itisnotclearly stipulated inthelawsandregulations ofItalyconcerning industrial designs
thattextile designs areprotected inconformity withtheTRIPS Agreement, please explain under which
provision ofthelawsandregulations orother copyright related lawthese designs areprotected.
Moreover, tomake surethattheopportunity toseekandobtain protection fortextile designs isnot
impaired unreasonably, please explain your system orpractice particularly withregard tocost,
examination orpublication (cf.paragraph 2ofArticle 25oftheTRIPS Agreement).
SWEDEN
Industrial Designs
1. Since itisnotclearly stipulated intheDesign Protection Actthattextile designs areprotected
inconformity withtheTRIPS Agreement, please explain under which provision oftheActorother
copyright related lawthese designs areprotected. Moreover, tomake surethattheopportunity to
seekandobtain protection fortextile designs isnotimpaired unreasonably, please explain yoursystem
orpractice particularly withregard tocost,examination orpublication (cf.paragraph 2ofArticle 25
oftheTRIPS Agreement).IP/C/W/40
Page5
2. Theword "selling" isnotincluded inthescope oftherighttoadesign provided forin
Section 5oftheDesign Protection Act. Iftheword "assigning" corresponds totheword "selling",
please elaborate onthedifference between thetwo(cf.paragraph 1ofArticle 26oftheTRIPS
Agreement).
3. Inyourcountry, itisstipulated inSection 7oftheDesign Protection Actthatimportations
ofspare parts andaccessories tobeusedfortherepair ofaircraft maybeexcluded from therightto
adesign. Please explain itsconsistency withparagraph 2ofArticle 26oftheTRIPS Agreement.
4. Inyourcountry, thefirstduration ofprotection available islessthantenyears, andanyrenewal
thereafter cannot berequested atthetimeofregistration. Itmayhappen, therefore, thattheduration
ofprotection islessthantenyears when thefirstduration haslapsed andtherestoration isnotpermitted
afterwards. Would thisnotbecontrary tothespirit ofparagraph 3ofArticle 26oftheTRIPS
Agreement?
UNITED KINGDOM
Trademarks
1. Please explain differences indetail between "well known trademarks" described in
Articles 6(c)and56(2) oftheBritish Trade Marks Act(hereinafter referred toas"British Act"), and
"reputed trademarks" described inArticle 5(3)oftheBritish Act.
2. Please explain whether ornot"iftheuseofthelatermark without duecause would takeunfair
advantage of,orbedetrimental to,thedistinctive character ortherepute oftheearlier trademark"
described inArticle 5(3)oftheBritish Actisidentical with"provided thatuseofatrademark inrelation
togoods orservices which arenotsimilar tothose inrespect ofwhich thetrademark isregistered would
indicate aconnection between those goods orservices andtheowner oftheregistered trademark and
provided thattheinterests oftheowner oftheregistered trademark arelikely tobedamaged bysuch
use"asdescribed inparagraph 3ofArticle 16oftheTRIPS Agreement.
3. Please elaborate on"theusewithout duecause" described inArticle 5(3)oftheBritish Act
bygiving examples, andalsowhether ornotthetrademark maybeusedorisregistrable when there
is"duecause". Ifitisso,please explain itsconsistency withtheprovisions ofparagraph 3ofArticle16
oftheTRIPS Agreement which makes noreference to"duecause".
4. Please explain differences between "thegenuine use"ofatrademark described inArticle 46
oftheBritish Actand"theuse"ofthetrademark described inparagraph 1ofArticle 19oftheTRIPS
Agreement. Inthecasewhere atrademark isputto"theuse"asstipulated inparagraph 1ofArticle
19oftheTRIPS Agreement, though notto"thegenuine use"asprovided forintheBritish Act,for
three years afterthelapse oftwoyears ofnon-use, would theregistration ofthesaidtrademark be
cancelled?
5. Itseems thattheBritish Acthasnoprovisions onrefusal orinvalidation oftheregistration
ofatrademark forwines which contains orconsists ofageographical indication identifying wines or
forspirits which contains orconsists ofageographical indication identifying spirits withrespect to
suchwines orspirits nothaving thisorigin. Please explain howthegeographical indications forthe
wines andspirits originating from other Members oftheWTO areprotected bytheBritish Actand
alsowhether suchprotection isconsistent withArticle 3andparagraph 2ofArticle 23oftheTRIPS
Agreement.IP/C/W/40
Page6
Industrial Designs
6. Inyourcountry, where theprovisions onthe"Crown use"areapplied, some restrictions are
imposed ontheowner ofaprotected industrial design: forexample, license feeswillnotbepaidto
theowner ofaregistered design. Isthere anypossibility thatthelegitimate interests ofarightholder
canbeunreasonably prejudiced within themeaning ofparagraph 2ofArticle 26oftheTRIPS
Agreement?
LIECHTENSTEIN
Industrial Designs
1. Since itisnotclearly stipulated intheActonDesigns andModels thattextile designs are
protected inconformity withtheTRIPS Agreement, please explain under which provision oftheAct
orother copyright related lawthesedesigns areprotected. Moreover, tomake surethattheopportunity
toseekandobtain protection fortextile designs isnotimpaired unreasonably, please explain yoursystem
orpractice particularly withregard tocost,examination orpublication (cf.paragraph 2ofArticle 25
oftheTRIPS Agreement).
2. Theword "making" isnotincluded inthescope ofinfringement provided forinArticle 24
oftheActonDesigns andModels. Iftheword "contrefaire" corresponds totheword "making", please
elaborate onthedifference between thetwo.
3. Inyourcountry, thefirstduration ofprotection available islessthantenyears, andanyrenewal
thereafter cannot berequested atthetimeofregistration. Itmayhappen, therefore, thattheduration
ofprotection islessthantenyears when thefirstduration haslapsed andtherestoration isnotpermitted
afterwards. Would thisnotbecontrary tothespirit ofparagraph 3ofArticle 26oftheTRIPS
Agreement?
NEW ZEALAND
Industrial Designs
1. Inyourcountry, where theprovisions onthe"Crown use"areapplied, some restrictions are
imposed ontheowner ofaprotected industrial design: forexample, license feeswillnotbepaidto
theowner ofaregistered design. Isthere anypossibility thatthelegitimate interests ofarightholder
canbeunreasonably prejudiced within themeaning ofparagraph 2ofArticle 26oftheTRIPS
Agreement?
2. Inyourcountry, thefirstduration ofprotection available islessthantenyears, andanyrenewal
thereafter cannot berequested atthetimeofregistration. Itmayhappen, therefore, thattheduration
ofprotection islessthantenyears when thefirstduration haslapsed andtherestoration isnotpermitted
afterwards. Would thisnotbecontrary tothespirit ofparagraph 3ofArticle 26oftheTRIPS
Agreement?IP/C/W/40
Page7
NORWAY
Industrial Designs
1. SinceitisnotclearlystipulatedintheDesignsActthattextiledesignsareprotectedinconformity
withtheTRIPS Agreement, please explain under which provision oftheActorother copyright related
lawthese designs areprotected. Moreover, tomake surethattheopportunity toseekandobtain
protection fortextile designs isnotimpaired unreasonably, please explain yoursystem orpractice
particularly withregard tocost,examination orpublication (cf.paragraph 2ofArticle 25oftheTRIPS
Agreement).
2. Theword "selling" isnotincluded inthescope oftherighttoadesign provided forin
Section 5oftheDesigns Act.Iftheword"assigning" corresponds totheword"selling", please elaborate
onthedifference between thetwo(cf.paragraph 1ofArticle 26oftheTRIPS Agreement).
3. Inyourcountry, itisstipulated inSection 7oftheDesigns Actthatimportation ofspare parts
andaccessories tobeusedfortherepair ofaircraft maybeexcluded fromtherighttoadesign. Please
explain itsconsistency withparagraph 2ofArticle 26oftheTRIPS Agreement.
4. Inyourcountry, thefirstduration ofprotection available islessthantenyears, andanyrenewal
thereafter cannot berequested atthetimeofregistration. Itmayhappen, therefore, thattheduration
ofprotection islessthantenyears when thefirstduration haslapsed andtherestoration isnotpermitted
afterwards. Would thisnotbecontrary tothespirit ofparagraph 3ofArticle 26oftheTRIPS
Agreement?
SOUTH AFRICA
Industrial Designs
1. SinceitisnotclearlystipulatedintheDesignsActthattextiledesignsareprotectedinconformity
withtheTRIPS Agreement, please explain under which provision oftheActorother copyright related
lawthese designs areprotected. Moreover, tomake surethattheopportunity toseekandobtain
protection fortextile designs isnotimpaired unreasonably, please explain yoursystem orpractice
particularly withregard tocost,examination orpublication (cf.paragraph 2ofArticle 25oftheTRIPS
Agreement).
2. Theword "selling" isnotincluded inthescope oftheexclusive rightprovided forin
Article 20oftheDesigns Act. Ifthephrase "disposing of"corresponds totheword "selling", please
elaborate onthedifference between thetwo.IP/C/W/40
Page8
SWITZERLAND
Industrial Designs
1. Since itisnotclearly stipulated intheFederal LawonIndustrial Designs andModels thattextile
designs areprotected inconformity withtheTRIPS Agreement, please explain under which provision
ofthelaworother copyright related lawthese designs areprotected. Moreover, tomake surethat
theopportunity toseekandobtain protection fortextile designs isnotimpaired unreasonably, please
explain your system orpractice particularly with regard tocost, examination orpublication
(cf.paragraph 2ofArticle 25oftheTRIPS Agreement).
2. Theword "making" isnotincluded inthescope ofinfringement provided forinArticle 24
oftheFederal LawonIndustrial Designs andModels. Iftheword "contrefaire" corresponds tothe
word "making", please elaborate onthedifference between thetwo.
3. Inyourcountry, thefirstduration ofprotection available islessthantenyears, andanyrenewal
thereafter cannot berequested atthetimeofregistration. Itmayhappen, therefore, thattheduration
ofprotection islessthantenyears when thefirstduration haslapsed andtherestoration isnotpermitted
afterwards. Would thisnotbecontrary tothespirit ofparagraph 3ofArticle 26oftheTRIPS
Agreement?
UNITED STATES
Trademarks
1. Please explain whether aspecimen orfacsimile attached toanaffidavit isaccepted asshowing
"thecurrent use"described inArticle 8oftheLanham Actifitshows theuseatsome point within
threeyears priortothesubmission oftheaffidavit. Ifitisnotacceptable, please explain itsconsistency
withtheprovisions ofArticle 19oftheTRIPS Agreement stipulating that"theregistration maybe
cancelled onlyafteranuninterrupted period ofatleastthree years ofnon-use".
Industrial Designs
2. Since itisnotclearly stipulated inthelawsandregulations oftheUnited States concerning
industrial designs thattextile designs areprotected inconformity withtheTRIPS Agreement, please
explain under which provision oftheActorother copyright related lawthese designs areprotected.
Moreover, tomake surethattheopportunity toseekandobtain protection fortextile designs isnot
impaired unreasonably, please explain your system orpractice particularly withregard tocost,
examination orpublication (cf.paragraph 2ofArticle 25oftheTRIPS Agreement).