Trademark squatting generally refers to the act of applying to register someone else’s trademark or well-known trademark for non-similar goods or services. We should understand that a trademark is used to distinguish the source of goods or services. It is formed by words, graphics, letters, numbers, three-dimensional signs, sounds, colors, or a combination of the above elements. Every approved trademark must at least have a distinctive character. Sex is the right thing, this is the basis.
Because the registration of trademarks is gradually becoming more difficult, many trademarks have already been registered and used. When companies are seeking trademarks, they have increased the number of trademark transfers and acquisitions. However, some companies still register the trademark without transferring or authorizing it, that is, knowing that the trademark is already used by the company, which will lead to malicious trademark squatting.
Related information can be found that the People's Bank of China has started digital currency research and development work since the end of 2017, and publicly proposed its digital currency project (Digital Currency Electronic Payment), referred to as "DCEP", for the first time on March 9, 2018. .
The trademark-related query shows that since March 9, 2018, the natural person Hu Zhiyan has been in Category 36, and Hulunbuir Shoshan Investment Management Co., Ltd. has been in Category 3, Category 9, Category 25, Category 35, Category 36, Category 41, Category 42 and Category 43, Guangzhou Mipanjie Network Technology Co., Ltd. is in Category 3, Category 9, Category 18, Category 20, Category 25, Category Category 33, Category 35, Category 36, Category 38, Category 42 and Category 43,
Daxinganling Xingguang Avenue Food Co., Ltd. is in Category 29 and Category 32, Fuzhou Qisheng Pharmaceutical Technology Co., Ltd. is in categories 11, 12, 18, 30 and 33, Shijike Investment Development (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. is in category 14, and Jiangxi Songyan Trading Co., Ltd. is in categories 35 and 33. Category 38, Guangzhou Qujia Technology Co., Ltd. was approved to register 29 digital renminbi-related trademarks in categories 9 and 42*** including "DCEP", "ECNY" and "PBCDCEP".
The Trademark Office of the State Intellectual Property Office concluded that eight applicants including natural person Hu Zhiyan applied to register "DCEP" and "ECNY" in multiple categories after the People's Bank of China first publicly proposed its digital currency project. Trademarks such as "PBCDCEP" are obviously suspected of being "hot spots", constituting malicious pre-registration of the names of important national strategic projects, and easily causing adverse social impacts.
The Trademark Office of the State Intellectual Property Office, in accordance with the provisions of Article 10, Paragraph 1, Item (8), and Article 44, Paragraph 1, of the Trademark Law, legally prosecuted eight applicants including natural person Hu Zhiyan 29 registered trademarks were declared invalid according to law.
Each trademark application must be effectively used after approval, and evidence of effective use must be retained in order to win in subsequent trademark disputes. Moreover, companies should properly monitor market trademarks to understand whether surrounding companies are using similar trademarks that may confuse consumers. If such trademarks exist, they need to invalidate the trademarks to safeguard their legitimate rights and interests.