Tianjin Cosmetics Scientific – Technical Research Institute Co., Ltd from China filed a request for invalidation of PULANNA R-76294 and PULANNA R-76424 trade marks. The company from China claimed that the person who applied for the protection of these two trade mark was acting as a Polish agent of Tianjin Cosmetics Scientific and he has concealed the fact of both trade mark applications and subsequent registrations.

The Supreme Administrative Court in a judgment of 17 February 2010 case file II GSK 387/09 ruled that to the extent as follows from an international agreement, where a trademark has been applied for protection by and on behalf of, or the right of protection has been granted for, an agent or a representative of the person enjoying the exclusive right to use that trademark in another country, that person may, if the agent or representative acted without that person’s consent, demand that the protection granting proceeding be discontinued or the right of protection revoked. He may also demand that the right of protection be granted on his behalf, or the right already granted transferred to him. The right may not be demanded to be revoked or transferred, where the entitled person has acquiesced, for a period of five successive years, in the use of the registered trademark while being aware of such use. Moreover, the facts of each case are examined on the date of trade mark application. See also “Trade mark law, case II GSK 950/08“.

Categories: Art. 161 IPL | Art. 6septies Paris Convention | Art. 8(1) TMA | bad faith | case law | Paris Convention | Polish Act on Industrial Property Law | Polish Act on Trade marks | Polish Supreme Administrative Court.