The Recommendation is the first implementation of WIPO's policy to adapt to the pace of change in the field of industrial property by considering new options for accelerating the development of international harmonized common principles. It provides a set of guidelines for the protection of well-known marks that are recommended to States.

When a mark acquires a reputation, it becomes a means of attracting consumers by communicating to them various messages going beyond the indication of commercial origin of goods or services. Thus, trade marks familiar to the general public enjoy a special legal protection regime above and beyond that afforded trade marks in general, allowing them to benefit from enhanced protection against reproduction or imitation detrimental to, or taking unfair advantage of, the distinctive character of the mark or its repute. This richly researched book, the first comprehensive guide to current European Union (EU) law and practice concerned with reputed trade marks, conducts an in-depth analysis of this extended protection provided by Regulation 2017/1001 on EU trade marks and Directive 2015/2436 under which it is mandatory across all Member States. Using a practical approach, focused on identifying and analysing the criteria for infringement of trade marks with a reputation in proceedings before civil courts and in administrative proceedings before the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) or national trade mark offices, the author addresses such elements of the special protection regime as the following: prerequisites for infringement of the right to a reputed mark common to all recognised forms of infringement; how to demonstrate each type of infringement of the right to the trade mark with a reputation (blurring, tarnishment and unfair advantage); proof of reputation; distinguishing the concept of well-known trade mark; legitimate versus questionable justifications of the ‘due cause’ exception within the meaning of EU law provisions; use of a disputed sign falling under freedom of expression; identifying the role of likelihood of confusion under the special regime; and how to prove the existence of a link between the signs in dispute. The author pays detailed attention to the case law of the Court of Justice and General Court of the EU, as well as cases before the EUIPO and national courts. He takes into account research from a number of Member States (plus Switzerland), thus widening prior work in the field from its predominant English-language context. With this book practitioners will confidently approach cases before courts, the EUIPO and national EU trade mark offices involving enhanced protection of trade marks with a reputation. In addition, the book will help judges and trade mark offices examiners to interpret the EU provisions and assess claims regarding such reinforced protection. For scholars and students of intellectual property law, this book will prove a cornerstone volume in the field.

This practical and detailed account of the key issues facing trade mark use draws on British, European, and US law, plus other sources. The author considers both the problems that trade mark law causes in business and commerce and how to solve them.

This book considers the effectiveness of well-known trade mark protection at an international level. It particularly considers EU trade mark law from Japanese perspectives, and provides a practical and critical overview of trade mark law in Japan, including the historical development of the law and the recent development on cases and policy. The book includes detailed coverage of the Japanese Unfair Competition Prevention Act, and contains the first systematic analysis of Japanese jurisprudence and legislative amendments of law in relation to well-known trade marks and unfair competition. The book goes on to comparatively analyse Japanese trade mark law alongside that of the European Community Trade Mark system. The book critically considers the difficulties in comprehensively defining a ‘well-known trade mark’ in the relevant international trade mark instruments. In breaking down the traditional definition of the ‘well-known trade mark’, the book works to address existing theoretical ambiguities in the application of trade mark law.