Trademark Protection for Wine China...Trademark Protection for Wine China Loeffelholz Registered...

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Trademark Protection for Wine Brands in China Katja Loeffelholz Katja Loeffelholz Registered Attorney with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office Dickenson, Peatman & Fogarty 1455 First Street, Ste 301 Napa, California 94559 (707) 252-7122 [email protected] www.dpf-law.com

Transcript of Trademark Protection for Wine China...Trademark Protection for Wine China Loeffelholz Registered...

Page 1: Trademark Protection for Wine China...Trademark Protection for Wine China Loeffelholz Registered Attorney with the U.S. Office Fogarty 301 94559 252-7122 kl@dpf-law.com . Disclaimer

Trademark Protection for Wine Brands in China

Katja LoeffelholzKatja LoeffelholzRegistered Attorney with the U.S. Patent & Trademark OfficeDickenson, Peatman & Fogarty1455 First Street, Ste 301Napa, California 94559(707) [email protected]

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Disclaimer

This memorandum is provided by Dickenson, Peatman & Fogarty for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended and should not be construed as legal advice.

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Territoriality

¾ Trademark rights in the U.S. do not extend beyond U.S. borders, not even to Canada.

¾ Rights must be independently established in each country.

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Common Law vs. Civil Law

¾ U.S. is a common law country.

¾ Trademark rights may be established based on use.

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Common Law vs. Civil Law

¾ Other English speaking countries also have some form of common law trademark rights.

¾ E.g., Canada, UK, Australia, NZ, Ireland, etc.

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Common Law vs. Civil Law

¾ However, most countries, including China, operate under civil law.

¾ Pursuant to civil law, trademark rights can only be established through trademark registration.

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Common Law vs. Civil Law

¾ Unlike the U.S. (and Canada), most countries, including China, do not require use of the mark in commerce to obtain registration.

¾ As a result, the first to file an application for a trademark for particular goods obtains TM rights.

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Common Law vs. Civil Law

¾ With the Internet, it’s not uncommon for pirates to file for TMs and then attempt to prevent use by brand owner.

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Common Law vs. Civil Law

¾ A few years ago in China one individual filed for the marks CARTLIDGE & BROWN, RED TRUCK, ROCK RABBIT and SCREW KAPPA NAPA.

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Common Law vs. Civil Law

¾ China is the 5th largest wine producer in the world, ahead of Australia, Chile and South Africa.

¾ China (including Hong Kong) is among the top ten global markets for wine consumption.

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Common Law vs. Civil Law

¾ China still a commodity economy focused on copying.

¾ COFCO, largest state-owned food company, registered the mark NAVA VALLEY for wine.

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Common Law vs. Civil Law

¾ China still a commodity economy focused on copying

¾ COFCO, largest state-owned food company, registered the mark NAVA VALLEY for wine

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Common Law vs. Civil Law

¾ Benefit of China system is that any U.S. company can defensively register its trademark in China before it ever sells wine there.

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Common Law vs. Civil Law

¾ However, should be noted that trademark registration systems are different for PRC, Hong Kong and Macau (one country, two systems).

¾ Registration in one will not afford protection in the other.

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Foreign Trademark Registration

Two Ways For Foreign Registration:

1. Direct filing in a country;

2. International registration.

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Direct Filing

¾ Any U.S. winery can file for TM registration in any country in the world.

¾ Most U.S. trademark attorneys maintain international network of foreign trademark counsel.

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International Registration

¾ International treaty – Madrid Protocol, U.S. is signatory.

¾ File an international registration with USPTO based on U.S. trademark registration, extended to other Madrid signatories through WIPO, including China, but not Hong Kong or Macau.

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International Registration

BENEFITS:

¾ Need not retain local counsel, lowers costs.

¾ Need only renew international registration, not individual country registrations.

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International Registration

BENEFITS:

¾ European countries, Japan, China, Australia, Singapore are signatories.

¾ Mandatory 18 month period for examination and approval/refusal.

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International Registration

SHORTCOMINGS:

¾ Tied to U.S. registration.

¾ If refused, still need to retain local counsel to respond.

¾ Canada, Hong Kong, and the majority of Latin American countries have not implemented.

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Foreign Distribution

¾ For any significant foreign market, file TM application before distribution, especially China.

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Foreign Distribution

¾ Failure to file could result in foreign distributor filing first and usurping your brand.

¾ Could be exposing yourself to foreign infringement action if do not have rights to mark, significant penalties depending on jurisdiction.

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Foreign Distribution

¾ If you plan to use Chinese characters for brand name of wine sold in China, need protection for Chinese written translation as well as English characters.

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Foreign Distribution

¾ However, if a party files for the phonetic transliteration of your mark in Chinese characters before you register your mark in Latin characters, could also block your registration.

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Conclusion

¾ Any plan for foreign distribution should include a strategy for foreign trademark registration ahead of such distribution, especially in China.

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Thank YouThank YouKatja Loeffelholz

Registered Attorney with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office

Dickenson, Peatman & [email protected](707) 252-7122

1455 First Street, Ste 301Napa, CA 94559www.dpf-law.com