2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Eliminating the Restrictive Effect on Competition caused by Trademark Protection: Non-Traditional Marks and Functionality
| Project/Area Number |
16K17041
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
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| Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
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| Research Field |
New fields of law
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| Research Institution | Chukyo University |
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Principal Investigator |
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| Project Period (FY) |
2016-04-01 – 2020-03-31
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| Keywords | 商品形態 / 不正競争防止法 / 機能性 / 商標法 / 立体商標 |
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| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
With respect to the protection of non-traditional marks, such as the three-dimensional shape or color of goods, there is a risk of restricting competition in a product market by allowing a certain producer to monopolize them. In particular, protection of product features that are essential to ensure its function or that give it a competitive advantage should be denied, even if they are recognized by the consumer as a source identifier. This study examined (1) the justification for denying protection under the Trademark Act and Article 2(1)(1) of Unfair Competition Prevention Act and (2) the criteria for determining whether or not protection should be granted, through a comparison with the U.S. Trademark Law and the European Union Trademark System.
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| Free Research Field |
知的財産法
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| Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements |
本研究は、標識法に基づく商品形態の保護を否定する際の正当化根拠および具体的な判断基準を探るために、米国商標法および欧州連合商標制度における裁判例および学説を詳細に分析した点に意義が認められる。また、主に米国の学説を参照することにより、機能性に関するルールを執行するための費用（エラーコストを含む）を考慮に入れて、機能性法理を適用の有無を判断する際の基準を分析した。さらに、機能性法理の適用に際しては検討対象市場の画定が重要となることを指摘し、競争法における市場画定の手法を参照することにより、代替的形態の有無を検討する作業に先だって行う市場画定の方法論を明らかにした。
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