煙草在線據(jù)俄羅斯法律信息局報(bào)道編譯 莫斯科商業(yè)法院駁回了菲莫煙草公司的訴訟,并支持專利局做出的拒絕Optima Zolotaya卷煙的商標(biāo)注冊登記的決定。
俄羅斯聯(lián)邦知識產(chǎn)權(quán)、專利與商標(biāo)局裁定,菲莫公司的商標(biāo)類似于英美煙草爪哇公司此前登記注冊的一些商標(biāo),會讓人混淆。
俄羅斯聯(lián)邦知識產(chǎn)權(quán)、專利與商標(biāo)局認(rèn)為,“Zolotaya”一詞可以被視為一個(gè)獨(dú)立的組成部分,這會侵犯英美煙草爪哇公司的商標(biāo)權(quán)。
去年3月,菲莫試圖對俄羅斯聯(lián)邦知識產(chǎn)權(quán)、專利與商標(biāo)局的決定提出質(zhì)疑,稱卷煙煙盒上的“Zolotaya”一詞并沒有與“Optima”這個(gè)詞分開來理解。不過,專利爭議委員會認(rèn)為,這些觀點(diǎn)是沒有說服力的。菲莫公司不同意專利爭議委員會的看法,于是將這個(gè)問題訴諸法庭。
原告向法院提供了一份社會學(xué)調(diào)查報(bào)告,稱這份報(bào)告證明了兩家公司的商標(biāo)是不會被混淆的。這項(xiàng)研究顯示,這些商標(biāo)在語音、外觀和語義方面是不同的。“Zolotaya”一詞不是主要元素。此外,97%的受訪者說,他們從未將這兩個(gè)商標(biāo)弄混。
俄羅斯商標(biāo)局在法庭上說,這項(xiàng)調(diào)查不符合法律標(biāo)準(zhǔn),事實(shí)上,這項(xiàng)調(diào)查應(yīng)該被理解為支持商標(biāo)局的立場,因?yàn)橛?9%的受訪者認(rèn)為,這兩個(gè)商標(biāo)是由一家公司所持有。
英美煙草俄羅斯公司支持俄羅斯商標(biāo)局的看法,稱這兩個(gè)商標(biāo)看起來相似。
菲莫國際公司在160多個(gè)國家有代表處。其總部位于紐約。菲莫國際公司擁有各種不同卷煙品牌,包括萬寶路、L&M、切斯特菲爾德和邦德街(Bond Street)。菲莫國際公司2010年時(shí)占有16%的國際市場份額。
英美煙草公司于1902年成立于英國,它是僅次于菲莫國際公司的第二大公司。其品牌包括好彩、波邁、建牌和登喜路。該公司在39個(gè)國家擁有45家工廠。
Philip Morris trademark lawsuit dismissed
Russian Legal Information Agency (RAPSI)
11:25 25/04/2012
MOSCOW, April 25 - RAPSI. The Moscow Commercial Court has dismissed the Philip Morris tobacco company's lawsuit and supported the patent agency's decision to deny the trademark registration of Optima Zolotaya cigarettes.
The Federal Service for Intellectual Property, Patents and Trademarks ruled that the trademark is confusingly similar to some trademarks previously registered by British American Tobacco-Java.
The agency believes the word "Zolotaya" can be seen as an independent element, which would infringe on the British American Tobacco-Java's trademark rights.
Last March Philip Morris attempted to challenge the agency's decision, claiming that the word "Zolotaya" on a pack of cigarettes is not perceived separately from the word "Optima." However, the Patent Disputes Chamber found these arguments unconvincing. The company disagreed with the service and took the matter to court.
The plaintiff provided the court with a sociological survey, allegedly proving that the trademarks cannot be confused. The research revealed that the brands are different in terms of phonetics, appearance and semantics. The word "Zolotaya" is not the key element. In addition, 97 percent of respondents said they would never mix these brands up.
The patent authority stated in court that the survey does not conform to legal standards and in fact it should be interpreted as supporting its own position, since 19 percent of respondents believed the trademarks were held by one company.
The British American Tobacco Russia sided with the patent service claiming that the trademarks look similar.
Phillip Morris International has representative offices in over 160 countries. Its head office is in New York. The company owns various cigarette brands including Marlboro, L&M, Chesterfield and Bond Street. Philip Morris held a 16-percent share of the international market in 2010.
Established in the UK in 1902, British American Tobacco is only second to Philip Morris International. Its brands include Lucky Strike, Pall Mall, Kent and Dunhill. The company has 45 plants in 39 countries.