商標包含地理名稱之可註冊性研究

地理名稱是日常生活中常見的商業表徵，不少商品的外觀包裝、店家的招牌及廣告文宣都有地理名稱在其中。具有經營品牌意識的業者，甚至將地理名稱設計成商標並申請註冊。關於地理名稱之註冊規範，原則上，單純以商品產地作為商標，以及使用和商品產地或服務來源無關之地理名稱，若有使消費者誤認誤信商品產地之虞，不予註冊。商標法看似已對地理名稱之可註冊性作出規範，但現行商業活動其實比立法者設想的情況複雜許多，有許多商標的表現型態，並不在商標識別性審查基準所列舉地理名稱的類型中。就判斷客體而論，何種商標的表現型態才算是地理名稱？就判斷主體而論，由於業者的行銷手法及資訊的可及性，影響消費者對於商標內容的認知。而消費者有不同的分群，法院該以何種消費者作為判定的基準？這些問題對地理名稱作為商標的可註冊性影響深遠，卻只有識別性比較常被討論到。本文首先就地理名稱進行定義，接著介紹商標制度中其他與地理名稱有關之概念並進行比較。再從國際公約、美國及我國規範與實務，整理出相關的審查基準，並檢討這些標準的合理性。另外，透過訴訟案件統計，釐清商標包含地理名稱可受到保護之具體程度。最後本文主張，地理名稱能否獲得註冊保護，應以社會整體利益為考量，隨著消費者行為及消費者認知的改變，在保護消費者的同時，應思考如何兼顧申請人的利益，才有助於工商企業正常發展。

關鍵字

地理名稱；可註冊性；產地；識別性；誤認誤信；審查基準

並列摘要

Geographical name is a common symbol in our daily life. Many businesses use geographical names for their product packaging, store signs and advertisement. Those who have brand awareness even register a trademark that contains geographical names. As for the regulation of registering geographical names as a trademark, in principle, a trademark will be ineligible for registration if it solely consists of a description of a place of origin. And using a trademark containing geographical names, but the associated goods or services do not originate from the location of the geographic names, is ineligible if there is a risk of misleading consumers about the place of origin. The Trademark Law of Taiwan provides rules of trademark registration concerning geographical names, but the commercial activities are actually more complicated than the situation envisaged by the lawmakers, and there are many kinds of trademark variations that are not among the types of geographical names listed in the Examination Guidelines on Distinctiveness of Trademarks. In that case, we need to ask, what kind of trademark expression is considered a geographical name? The marketing methods of the businesses and information accessibility affect the consumers' perception of the trademark. Also, differences exist among customer of different segments; therefore, what kind of consumers should be the basis for judgment standard? These questions have far-reaching effects on the registrability of trademarks containing geographic names This thesis first explore the definitions of geographical names, and then introduces and compares other concepts related to geographical names in the Trademark Law. Then, most parts of this thesis will review the reasonableness of these examination guidelines from international conventions, U.S. and Taiwan regulations and practices. In addition, through the case analysis, readers will understand the specific extent of protection for trademarks containing geographical names. Finally, this thesis advocates that whether a geographical name can be registered should be based on the overall interests of the society. As consumer behavior and consumer awareness changes, when the relevant trademark authority considers protecting consumers, the interests of the applicant should be taken into account at the same time. In this manner, the trademark registration regime could facilitate the development of the industry and commerce.