YEAR 2024 No 3

ISSN 2182-9845

Registered trade marks or physical exercise modalities: the existing risk of vulgarisation for certain distinctive signs in the sports sector

Ana Clara Azevedo de Amorim

Keywords

Trade marks; vulgarization; distinctive capacity; licences; cancellation; sports.

Abstract

The loss of trade marks’ distinctive capacity can lead to the registration cancellation due to vulgarisation, when signs become the usual designation for products or services, as a consequence of the respetive owners’ behaviour. This text analyses the legal regime of vulgarisation, especially in the light of Article 268 (2) (a) of the Portuguese Industrial Property Code and of Article 58 (1) (b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001, with a particular focus on trade marks registered for the sports sector that came to be perceived by the relevant class of persons as physical exercise modalities. The aim is to consider which factors determine the existing increased risk of vulgarisation for certain distinctive signs, namely, in terms of the composition and the ways of using trade marks, the characteristics of the products or services, the granting of licences and the reproduction without the authorisation of the owners.

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