商標名稱通用化之理論與實務

Abstract

商標具有表彰商品來源之功能，商標之設計為順應其功能，必須具有識別性，不具識別性之商標設計，不僅無法註冊，更無法主張商標專用之權利。商標名稱通用化，則是指原本具有識別性之商標，通常為著名商標，因為社會大眾消費習慣以及認知的改變，變成商品的通用名稱，落入公共財領域，無法受到法律之保護。商標名稱通用化，在國外並非新概念，惟在我國商標法領域中因屬新規定，未見我國學者進行專門之闡述。本文乃參考美國法制，就商標名稱通用化之意義、形成原因、判斷標準、法律效果，以及我國法制之檢討等議題，分別加以闡釋，期有助於解決商標名稱通用化所衍生之各項行政救濟，以及法院訴訟上面臨之新議題。

A basic function of trademarks is to identify the source of a product. In order to carry out this function, it is necessary to design a trademark with distinctiveness. A trademark without distinctiveness can not be registered with the Patent and Trademark Office or serve as a basis for claiming trademark rights because it lacks the function of source identification. Trademark genericism, also known as genericide, genericness and generalization, is the rule which governs the loss of trademark protection of a registered trademark that was once distinctive and often well known, but fell into the public domain and became a generic name owing to the change in the perception of the consuming public. Genericism in U.S. court practices is not a new concept but is just beginning to appear in Taiwanese Trademark Law when the latest amendment went in effect on 28/11/2003. Considering the fact that this topic is rarely addressed among Taiwan academics or practitioners, this article examines the American legal system and courts practices and attempts to interpret the current Taiwan Trademark Law in order to find the meaning of genericism, causes of genericism, criteria for judging genericism and the legal effect of post-genericism. In addition, this paper strives to provide solutions to new problems caused by trademark genericism.