Beijing No.1 Intermediate People’s Court recently ruled in favor of Guangzhou Yuanye Cosmetics Company in a trademark dispute case. The first instance court denied the Comite Interprofessionnel Du Vin De Champagne (CIVC)’s request for revoking the registration of CHAMPAIGN on Class 3 goods.
The Guangzhou Yuanye Company acquired the registration of the trademark in question in April 2002, certified for use on Class 3 goods, cosmetics and perfume. CIVC then sought rejection of registration in July 2002 on the ground of its similarity between CHAMPAIGN and CHAMPAGNE that may lead confusion to consumers.
The court held, though CHAMPAGNE was protected in China as a geographical indication, the CHAMPAIGN in question means plain or field in Chinese, and the registration of CHAMPAIGN would not infringe prior right of CHAMPAGNE in China and cause public confusion. So ordered.
(by Yang Qiang/Zhou Bo) “CHAMPAIGN”商标纠纷一审审结
本报讯 记者从北京市第一中级人民法院了解到，该院日前一审审结了一起商标纠纷案，案件原告法国香槟酒行业委员会要求撤销“CHAMPAIGN”商标在第3类商品上注册的请求未能得到法院支持。
据悉，上述争议商标系广州原野化妆品有限公司（以下简称广州原野公司）于2002年4月经注册取得，被核定使用的商品为化妆品、香水等。法国香槟酒行业委员会于2002年7月就该商标注册提出撤销申请。其理由为，“CHAMPAIGN”商标与其知名通用名“CHAMPAGNE（香槟）”为同源同义词，其作为化妆品商标的使用会造成相关公众误认。
北京市一中院依法审理认为，“CHAMPAGNE”虽应当作为地理标志在我国给予保护，但是争议商标“CHAMPAIGN”的中文含义为“平原、原野”，因此，“CHAMPAIGN”商标的注册不会损害“香槟”地理标志在我国所拥有的在先权利，亦不会导致相关公众混淆或误认，并据此作出上述判决。
(杨 强 周 波) |
