Industrial Property Law

The proprietor of a trademark may not limit or prohibit the use, in the course of trade, of signs or indications which are not distinctive, or which relate to the type, quality, quantity, intended purpose, value, geographical origin, the time of production of the goods or rendering of the service, or other characteristics of the goods or services (Art. L. 713-6, I, 2° IP Code).

By virtue of this  …

Non-distinctive and descriptive trademarks

The proprietor of a trademark may not limit or prohibit the use, in the course of trade, of signs or indications which are not distinctive, or which relate to the type, quality, quantity, intended purpose, value, geographical origin, the time of production of the goods or rendering of the service, or other characteristics of the goods or services (Art. L. 713-6, I, 2° IP Code).

By virtue of this exception, the proprietor of a trademark consisting of a common word cannot prohibit the use of this word in its usual sense, even if the trademark is well-known . This is the case for the use of the terms “Buck” and “Buckfast” to designate a certain type of bee , “Decathlon” in reference to the practice of the activity of that name  or “Business class” to designate the business category in the airline sector .

Cass. com. 20 February 2007, LawLex200800000368JBJ.

Cass. com. 5 July 2017, LawLex202200001435JBJ.

Cass. com. 9 June 2004, LawLex202200000110JBJ.

Industrial Property Law

118. Non-distinctive and descriptive trademarks

Demandez un accès gratuit
au contenu exclusif Livv – juristes d’entreprise

Les décisions de justice citées dans ce paragraphe :

Les notions juridiques connexes

118. Non-distinctive and descriptive trademarks

Demandez un accès gratuit au contenu exclusif Livv – juristes d’entreprise

Les décisions de justice citées dans ce paragraphe :

Les notions juridiques connexes

Demandez un accès gratuit
au contenu exclusif Livv – juristes d’entreprise