WPIP-Elaine 中华商标杂志

The UK and EU have ratified the Withdrawal Agreement. This allows the UK to depart the EU on 31 January 2020 and for the transition period (1 February 2020 to 31 December 2020) to begin. During this time, EU law will continue to operate as it does now in the UK. The Intellectual Property (IP) system will continue as it is until 31 December2020.

英国和欧盟已签署脱欧协议。由此，英国于2020年1月31日正式脱欧，同时脱欧过渡期将于2020年2月1日开始至2020年12月31日结束。在此期间，欧盟法律将继续对英国有效。欧盟知识产权体系也同样对英国有效，直至2020年12月31日（过渡期）结束。

There will be no disruptionto IPO services or changes to the UK IP system during this transition period. The IPO will convert almost 1.4 million EU trademarks and 700,000 EU designs to comparable UK rights at the end of thetransition period. These will come into effect on 1 January 2021. These arrangements provide legal certainty and protect the interests of rightsholders and users of the IP framework.

过渡期间，英国知识产权局将继续开放，英国知识产权系统也不会变更。过渡期末，英国知识产权局将使近1400万件欧盟商标和70万件欧盟外观专利直接转换为其相应的英国权利。这将于2021年1月1日生效。这样的安排具有法律确定性，并保护了知识产权框架下权利人及用户的利益。

EUtrade marks

欧盟商标

From the 1 January 2021, EUTMs will no longer protect trade marks in the UK. Under the Withdrawal Agreement Act, on the 1 January 2021, the IPO will create acomparable UK trade mark for all right holders with an existing EU trade mark. Existing EUTMs will still protect trade marks in EU member states. UK businesses can still to apply the EU Intellectual Property Office for an EUTM.There will be no changes to UK-registered trade marks as a result of the UK leaving the EU.

自2021年1月1日起，欧盟商标将不再保护英国的商标。依照脱欧协议，2021年1月1日，英国知识产权局将使权利人的现有欧盟商标转换为相应的英国商标，现有的欧盟商标的保护范围仍然涵盖所有欧盟成员国。英国企业仍然可以向欧盟知识产权局申请欧盟商标。脱欧对现有的英国注册商标不构成影响。

If you have a pending EUTM application, you’ll be able to apply to register a comparable UK trade mark in the 9 months after 1 January 2021. You’ll keep the earlier filing date of the pending EUTM.

针对申请中的欧盟商标，在2021年1月1日后的9个月内，申请人可将其转换申请为相应的英国商标。英国商标的申请时间将和在先欧盟商标的申请时间保持一致。

Receivinga comparable UK trade mark

欧盟-英国商标的转换

On 1 January 2021, IPO will create a comparable UK trademark for every registered EU trade mark (EUTM). Each of these UK rights will:

2021年1月1日，英国知识产权局将让所有已注册的欧盟商标转换为相应的英国商标。所有的新转换的英国商标将：

a. be recorded on the UK trade mark register;

登记在英国商标注册处；

b. have the same legal status as if you had applied for and registered it under UK law;

与依照英国法律直接注册的英国商标享有同等的法律地位；

c. keep the original EUTM filing date;

申请日期与原始欧盟商标申请日期相同；

d. keep the original priority or UK seniority dates;

保留原始优先/在先日期；

be fully independent UK trade mark that can be challenged, assigned, licensed or renewed separately from the original EUTM.

将从原先的欧盟商标分离并成为完全独立的英国商标，可以被挑战（反对/异议/撤销/无效）、允许被转让，许可或续展。

You will not:

权利人

a. need to pay for your equivalent or comparable UK trade mark – and there will beas little administration involved as possible;

无需支付欧盟商标转换为英国商标的费用，商标转换手续也将尽可能被简化。

b. receive a UK registration certificate, but you will be able to access details about the trade mark on GOV.UK;

不会收到英国商标的注册证书，但可在英国政府网-知识产权局网查到商标的详细信息； 

Registering a pending EUTM application as a UKtrade mark

申请中的欧盟商标-英国商标转换

We will only create a comparable UK trade mark for EUTMs registered before 1January 2021. If you have an EUTM application that’s still pending on 1 January2021, you’ll be able to apply to register for a comparable UK trade mark, the application must:

只有在2021年1月1日前已经注册的欧盟商标才可被直接转换为英国注册商标。若商标在2021年1月1日仍处于申请中的状态，那么申请人可将其申请转换为英国商标。申请中的欧盟-英国商标的转换需遵循：

a. relate to the same trade mark that was the subject of the EUTM application;

转换商标必须与欧盟申请商标一致；

b. seek protection in respect of goods and services that are identical to, orcontained within, the corresponding EU application;

保护的产品/服务需与在先欧盟申请所保护的产品/服务一致，或不超过欧盟商标保护的产品/服务范围；

c. If the details of your application do not match those of the corresponding EUTM application, you will not be able to claim the earlier EU filing or priority dates;

若申请商标的明细与相应的欧盟商标不一致，那么将不能要求优先日期，英国申请日和欧盟申请日也无法保持一致；

d. You must submit your application within 9 months of 1 January 2021. We will then:

转换申请必须在2021年1月1日起的9个月内提交，届时，知识产权局将：

treat the pending EUTM application as a UK application;

视欧盟转换为英国的商标申请为英国申请；

examineit under UK law;

依照英国法律对其进行审查；

The usual UK fees of £170 will apply, including one class of goods or services, andan extra £50 for each additional class.

申请人需支付转换申请费用。首类官费为170英镑，此类官费为50英镑。

You may be intending to file a UK trade mark application that does not correspond to a pending EUTM application in the 9 months after 1 January 2021. If so, you should note that someone could file a UK application after yours and claim the earlier date of a corresponding EUTM application that was pending on 1 January 2021. Where this happens, the later-filed UK application will take precedence.

2021年1月1日起的9个月内，申请人若意图提交与欧盟申请不一致的英国申请，那么需注意：也许某一人的欧盟商标申请日晚于你的欧盟商标申请日，但该申请人申请转换与其欧盟商标完全一致的英国商标，那么转换后的英国商标申请日将与其欧盟商标申请一致，他的英国商标申请日也将早于你的英国商标申请日。

Pending cancellation actions

撤销申请中的商标

On 1 January 2021, there will be registered cases which are going through cancellation actions. The cancellation will only have effect if the grounds areapplicable in the UK. This means that you will not need to launch a separate cancellation action on the comparable right after 1 January 2021.

2021年1月1日也有许多正处于撤销程序中的案子。只有当撤销理由适用于英国法律时，转换的英国商标才会被撤销。也就是说，提撤销人无需再针对转换的英国商标单独提撤销。

Use and reputation

商标的使用与知名度

For a national trade mark, an uninterrupted period of 5 years’ non- use in the UKcan render a mark vulnerable to challenge. Applying this approach to comparable UK trade marks created on 1 January 2021, many of which will correspond to EUTMs that have never been used in the UK, would not provide enough protection for those new comparable rights. It would likely lead to outcomes that are unintended and unjust.

一个英国商标可能因连续5年未使用而容易被提撤销，这对2021年1月1日从欧盟商标转换过来的英国商标也同样适用，许多商标从未在英国使用，这将削弱英国法律对其保护力度。因此，很可能导致意想不到或不公正的结果。

To address this, the new law ensures that any use of the mark in the EU made before 1 January 2021, whether inside or outside the UK, will count as use of the comparable UK right. Where the 5-year period includes time before 1 January2021, use in the EU will be considered. Where the period includes any time after 1 January 2021, use of the comparable trade mark in the EU (and outsideof the UK) within that period will not be taken into account.

为了解决这个问题，新法律确保2021年1月1日之前在欧盟境内对商标的任何使用（无论在英国境内还是在英国境外），都将算作在英国有使用。

Assessment of reputation

商标知名度的评估

In relation to the consideration of any time before 1 January 2021, reputation ofthe corresponding EU trade mark, in the EU but not necessarily in the UK, willbe considered for the purposes of the comparable UK right. Where oppositions filed after 1 January 2021 are based on a comparable UK trade mark, the same approach will apply to conditions of use.

2021年1月1日前在欧盟享有知名度但在英国未有知名度的新转换的英国商标，为了维护其英国权利，该商标的欧盟知名度也将被予以考虑。2021年1月1日后，若异议是基于新转换的英国商标提出的，相同的方法将适用于使用条件。

Opting out of the comparable UK trade mark

不转换英国商标

If you do not wish to hold the new right, you may opt out of holding it. If you opt out, the comparable right will be treated as if it had never been appliedfor or registered under UK law.

如果权利人不希望将欧盟商标转换为英国商标，则可以选择放弃。如果选择放弃，依照英国法律，该商标从未申请或注册过英国商标。

You may not exercise an opt-out right if you have used the comparable UK right inthe UK. This also applies if you have:

若权利人在英国有使用相应的权利，则不得放弃转换申请。包含以下情形：

a. assigned or licensed or entered into an agreement in relation to it;

涉及商标的转让或许可协议；

b. you have initiated litigation based upon the comparable UK right;

已基于相应的英国权力提起了诉讼。

Requesting an opt-out

申请放弃转换

Opt-outrequests can only be submitted after 1 January 2021. Any requests made before then will not be valid.

放弃转换的申请需在2021年1月1日之后提交，任何在此之前的申请视为无效。

You will need to submit a notice to IPO providing the EUTM number, along with details of anyone with an interest in the EUTM. By law, notice to interested third parties must be given for opt-out to have effect. You must confirm that such action has been taken.

权利人需向英国知识产权局提交一份声明并提供欧盟商标号，以及欧盟商标的利益相关方信息。依照法律，该放弃转换声明必须通知到利益攸关的第三方才能生效。权利人需确保已通知到位。

Registration numbers for equivalent and comparableUK trade marks

同等注册号和相应的英国商标

IPO will provide a means for identifying comparable UK rights and distinguishing them from existing UK trade marks. The number allocated to the comparable mark will be the last 8 digits of the EUTM prefixed with UK009. The following examples demonstrate how comparable UK trade marks will be codified:

英国知识产权局将采取措施来确定这些欧盟商标相应的英国权利，并将它们和现有的英国商标区分开来。新转换的英国商标的商标号将由UK009加上欧盟商标号的后8位数组成。例如：

(未完待续）

作者：伍丽君；作者单位：杭州五洲商标服务有限公司