{"id":1730,"date":"2016-09-01T17:40:18","date_gmt":"2016-09-01T17:40:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/depot-de-marque.com\/?page_id=1730"},"modified":"2020-12-03T05:42:53","modified_gmt":"2020-12-03T04:42:53","slug":"the-obligation-to-use-a-trademark","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/depot-de-marque.com\/en\/guide-marques\/lobligation-dusage-dune-marque\/","title":{"rendered":"The obligation to use a mark"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"trademark<\/a><\/p>\n

The obligation to use a mark<\/h1>\n

The obligation to use a trade mark makes it possible, in the first place, to prevent the proprietor of a trade mark from exercising a monopoly on his name even though he does not make any use of it. It is not, however, an absolute obligation: the trademark is not really subject to an obligation of use until 5 years after its registration. In practice, this allows trademark applicants<\/a> to start operating it only after a few years, for example the time it takes to start production.<\/p>\n

This requirement is found in Article L714-5 of the French Industrial Property Code, which states that :<\/p>\n

\"The owner of a trade mark who, without just reason, has not made effective and serious use of it for the goods and services designated, for an uninterrupted period of five years from the date of registration, shall be liable to forfeiture of his rights\".<\/p>\n

What are the consequences in case of non-compliance with the obligation to use a trademark?<\/h2>\n

Failure to do so can lead to the forfeiture of the trademark<\/a>The trademark may be used, in whole or in part, provided that the trademark has not been used for five consecutive years. Partial revocation occurs when the application relates only to some of the goods or services and not to the entire wording of the mark. In practice, non-compliance with this obligation by the owner of a trademark may prove useful in several cases.<\/p>\n

During a trademark availability search<\/h3>\n

If an earlier trademark identified in an earlier trademark search has been registered for more than 5 years, it is worthwhile to investigate further and check whether it is still in use. If it is not, the chances of its owner acting are lower in practice. It is then possible, in some cases, to ignore this anteriority and continue the filing process.<\/p>\n

In defence in an infringement or opposition action<\/h3>\n

Conversely, if the owner of an earlier trademark attacks a later trademark which he considers too close to his own, the defendant may request proof of use of the trademark if it has been registered for more than 5 years. If the owner of the earlier trademark fails to provide the necessary proof of use, his action may not go any further.<\/p>\n

Proof of use and reasons for non-use<\/h2>\n

Serious use is required by article L714-5 of the Intellectual Property Code<\/a>and means that it must be \"real, not sporadic, effective and of a commercial nature\", which is a sovereign assessment by the judge. For example, deliveries of goods in derisory quantities or sporadic advertising cannot be considered as serious use of the trademark.<\/p>\n

Some proofs are more relevant than others: these are dated documents showing the trademark and the goods and\/or services concerned. Examples include catalogues, invoices, packaging, newspaper advertisements, photographs or even advertisements in some cases.<\/p>\n

The owner of a trade mark who has not complied with his obligation to use it may present just grounds and thus escape revocation. These are assessed by the court on a case-by-case basis and specified by case law. For example, the existence of an ongoing dispute between two trademark owners may justify that a trademark is not being used by one of them.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

L’obligation d’usage d’une marque L’obligation d’usage d’une marque permet en premier lieu d’\u00e9viter que le titulaire d’une marque n’exerce un monopole sur son nom alors m\u00eame qu’il n’en fait aucune utilisation. Ce n’est toutefois pas une obligation absolue\u00a0: la marque n’est v\u00e9ritablement soumise \u00e0 obligation\u00a0d’usage que 5 ans apr\u00e8s son enregistrement. En pratique, cela permet […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":11,"menu_order":22,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":"","tve_updated_post":"

___TVE_SHORTCODE_RAW__<p><a href=\"http:\/\/depot-de-marque.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/GM_obligation-usage.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-1733 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/depot-de-marque.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/GM_obligation-usage-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"obligation usage de marque\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" \/><\/a><\/p><h1>L'obligation d'usage d'une marque<\/h1><p>L'obligation d'usage d'une marque permet en premier lieu d'\u00e9viter que le titulaire d'une marque n'exerce un monopole sur son nom alors m\u00eame qu'il n'en fait aucune utilisation. Ce n'est toutefois pas une obligation absolue : la marque n'est v\u00e9ritablement soumise \u00e0 obligation d'usage que 5 ans apr\u00e8s son enregistrement. En pratique, cela permet aux <a href=\"http:\/\/depot-de-marque.com\/tarifs-depot\" data-cke-saved-href=\"http:\/\/depot-de-marque.com\/tarifs-depot\">d\u00e9posants d'une marque<\/a> de ne commencer \u00e0 l'exploiter qu'apr\u00e8s quelques ann\u00e9es, par exemple le temps de lancer une production.<\/p><p>On retrouve cet imp\u00e9ratif \u00e0 l'article L714-5 du Code de la Propri\u00e9t\u00e9 Industrielle, lequel dispose que :<\/p><p>\u00ab Le propri\u00e9taire d\u2019une marque qui, sans juste motif, n\u2019en a pas fait un usage effectif et s\u00e9rieux, pour les produits et services d\u00e9sign\u00e9s, pendant une p\u00e9riode ininterrompue de cinq ans \u00e0 compter de l\u2019enregistrement, encourt la d\u00e9ch\u00e9ance de ses droits \u00bb<\/p><h2 class=\"ckeditor\">Quelles cons\u00e9quences en cas de non respect de l'obligation d'usage d'une marque ?<\/h2><p>Son non respect peut <a href=\"http:\/\/depot-de-marque.com\/actualite-pi\/la-decheance-pour-defaut-dusage\" data-cke-saved-href=\"http:\/\/depot-de-marque.com\/actualite-pi\/la-decheance-pour-defaut-dusage\">entra\u00eener la d\u00e9ch\u00e9ance de la marque<\/a>, totale ou partielle, \u00e0 condition que la marque n'ait pas \u00e9t\u00e9 exploit\u00e9e pendant 5 ann\u00e9es cons\u00e9cutives. Une d\u00e9ch\u00e9ance partielle intervient lorsque la demande ne porte que sur une partie des produits ou services et non sur l'ensemble du libell\u00e9 de la marque. En pratique, le non-respect de cette obligation par le titulaire d'une marque peut s'av\u00e9rer utile dans plusieurs hypoth\u00e8ses.<\/p><h3 class=\"ckeditor\">Lors d'une recherche de disponibilit\u00e9 de la marque<\/h3><p>Si une marque ant\u00e9rieure relev\u00e9e au cours d'une recherche d'ant\u00e9riort\u00e9s a \u00e9t\u00e9 enregistr\u00e9e depuis plus de 5 ans, il est int\u00e9ressant de pousser plus loin ses investigations et de v\u00e9rifier si elle est toujours utilis\u00e9e. Si ce n'est pas le cas, les chances pour que son titulaire agisse sont en pratique plus faibles. On peut alors, dans certains cas, ignorer cette ant\u00e9riorit\u00e9 et poursuivre les d\u00e9marches de d\u00e9p\u00f4t.<\/p><h3 class=\"ckeditor\">En d\u00e9fense lors d'une action en contrefa\u00e7on ou opposition<\/h3><p>A l'inverse, si le titulaire d'une marque ant\u00e9rieure attaque une marque ult\u00e9rieure qu'il juge trop proche de la sienne, le d\u00e9fendeur pourra demander des preuves d'usage de la marque si cette derni\u00e8re a \u00e9t\u00e9 enregistr\u00e9e depuis plus de 5 ans. Si le propri\u00e9taire de la marque ant\u00e9rieure ne parvient pas \u00e0 apporter les preuves d'usage n\u00e9cessaires, son action ne pourra pas aller plus loin.<\/p><h2 class=\"ckeditor\">Preuves d'usage et motifs de non-usage<\/h2><p>Un usage s\u00e9rieux est exig\u00e9 <a href=\"http:\/\/www.legifrance.gouv.fr\/affichCodeArticle.do?cidTexte=LEGITEXT000006069414&amp;idArticle=LEGIARTI000006279720&amp;dateTexte=&amp;categorieLien=cid\" data-cke-saved-href=\"http:\/\/www.legifrance.gouv.fr\/affichCodeArticle.do?cidTexte=LEGITEXT000006069414&amp;idArticle=LEGIARTI000006279720&amp;dateTexte=&amp;categorieLien=cid\">par l'article L714-5 du Code de la propri\u00e9t\u00e9 intellectuelle<\/a>, et signifie qu'il doit \u00eatre \"r\u00e9el, non sporadique, effectif et d'ordre commercial\", ce que le juge appr\u00e9cie de mani\u00e8re souveraine. A titre d'exemple, des livraisons en quantit\u00e9s d\u00e9risoires de produits ou encore des publicit\u00e9s sporadiques ne peuvent s'apparenter \u00e0 un usage s\u00e9rieux de la marque.<\/p><p>Certaines preuves sont plus pertinentes que d'autres : ce sont les documents dat\u00e9s, faisant appara\u00eetre la marque et les produits et\/ou services concern\u00e9s. Il s'agit par exemple de catalogues, factures, emballages, annonces dans les journaux, des photographies ou m\u00eame de publicit\u00e9s dans certains cas.<\/p><p>Le titulaire d'une marque n'ayant pas respect\u00e9 son obligation d'usage peut pr\u00e9senter des justes motifs et ainsi \u00e9chapper \u00e0 la d\u00e9ch\u00e9ance. Ces derniers sont appr\u00e9ci\u00e9s au cas par cas par le juge et pr\u00e9cis\u00e9s par la jurisprudence. A titre d'exemple, l'existence d'un litige en cours entre deux titulaires d'une marque peut justifier qu'une marque ne soit pas exploit\u00e9e par l'un d'entre eux.<\/p>__TVE_SHORTCODE_RAW___<\/div><\/div>
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