在越南恶意注册商标：如何证明申请人的意图和动机？

要证明商标申请是“恶意”提出的，不仅必须证明申请人“知道”或“有理由知道”合法商标所有者的商标，还必须证明申请人在注册背后有特定的意图或动机。根据第 23/2023/TT-BKHCN 号通知第 34.2(b) 条，第二个条件侧重于申请人的动机和意图。这些意图和动机包括哪些行为？容易证明吗？

为了帮助真正的知识产权权利人理解相关规定，KENFOX IP & Law Office 提供以下分析和解释。在此基础上，他们可以确定为证明目的需要收集哪些文件和证据。

To prove that a trademark application was filed in “bad faith”, it must be shown not only that the applicant “knew” or “had a basis to know” about the mark of the legitimate trademark owner but also that the applicant had a specific intention or motive behind the registration. As per Article 34.2(b) of Circular 23/2023/TT-BKHCN, this second condition focuses on the motives and intentions of the applicant. What actions do these intentions and motives include? Is it easy to prove?

KENFOX IP & Law Office provides the following analysis and interpretation to help the genuine IP rights holder understand the relevant regulations. Based on this, they can accurately determine the documents and evidence that need to be collected for proof purposes.

不诚实的意图（恶意）和动机：哪些行为？- Dishonest intentions and motives: What actions?

(第34.2(b)条列出了体现不诚实意图和动机或“恶意”的行为，如下所示：) (Actions that reflect dishonest intentions and motives, or “bad faith” are specified in Article 34.2(b) as follows:)

[i] 利用品牌的声誉和威望来获取利润：以利用他人商标的声誉和威望为目的注册商标被认为是恶意行为。真正的商标所有者需要证明申请人提交商标注册申请的动机是从该品牌在市场上的长期存在中获得经济利益，该品牌受到消费者的广泛信任和认可。

Taking advantage of the reputation and prestige of a brand to gain profit: Registering a trademark with the intention of taking advantage of the reputation and prestige of another person’s trademark is considered to be in bad faith. The genuine trademark owner needs to prove that the applicant’s motive for filing a trademark registration application was to financially benefit from the brand’s long-term presence on the market, which is widely trusted and recognized by consumers.

[ii] 转售、许可或转让注册权：注册商标但无意在商业中使用它，而是通过将其出售给原所有人、转售给另一个合法所有者或将其许可给他人来获利，被视为恶意行为。

Resale, license, or transfer of registration rights: Registering a trademark with no intention of using it in commerce, but rather to profit by either selling it back to the original owner, reselling it to another rightful owner, or licensing it for profit, is considered bad faith.

 [iii] 阻止市场进入：以阻止另一方进入或参与市场竞争为目的注册商标构成商标滥用，并对竞争造成障碍。这涉及注册与知名或新兴商标类似的商标，专门旨在阻碍该商标进入或扩展市场。这种恶意注册会严重阻碍良性竞争和市场发展。

Preventing market entry: Registering a trademark with the intention of blocking another party from entering or competing in the market constitutes trademark abuse and creates a barrier to competition. This involves registering a mark similar to a well-known or emerging one, aimed specifically at hindering that mark’s entry or expansion in the market. Such malicious registrations can significantly impede healthy competition and market development.

[iv] 违反其他公平贸易惯例的行为：这包括任何在商业中被认为不公平或不道德的行为。此类行为可能涉及欺骗性策略、在市场中造成混淆或其他违反诚实和公平竞争原则的策略。

Conducting contrary to other fair trade practices: This includes any practice deemed unfair or unethical in commerce. Such practices may involve deceptive strategies, creating confusion in the marketplace, or other tactics that contravene the principles of honest and fair competition.

因此，如果您的行为属于上述四类中的任何一类，则真正的商标所有者有法律依据证明申请人在提交商标注册申请时的意图和动机是不诚实或恶意的。

Thus, if your act falls into one of the four categories mentioned above, the genuine trademark owner has a legal basis to prove that the applicant’s intentions and motives in filing the trademark registration application are dishonest or in bad faith.

证明商标投机（商标抢注）案件中商标注册背后的意图和动机：容易还是困难？- Proving the intention and motive behind trademark registration in trademark speculation cases: Easy or difficult?

第 34.2(b) 条中关于确定申请人是否属于恶意行为的意图和动机的规定较为开放。一方面，该规定列出了具体的、典型的商标恶意注册行为，为合法商标所有者提供了具体的法律依据来证明申请人的不诚实意图和动机（例如利用商标的声誉和威望牟利、转售、许可或转让注册权以及阻止市场进入）。另一方面，它建立了更广泛、更全面的监管，涵盖了违反公平贸易惯例的其他行为。这为真正的商标所有者提供了机会，可以通过异议、第三方意见或无效程序来证明恶意并收回其商标权。

The provisions in Article 34.2(b) concerning the intention and motive for determining whether the applicant is acting in bad faith are designed openly. On one hand, this provision lists specific, typical acts of trademark registration in bad faith, providing legitimate trademark owners with a concrete legal basis to prove the applicant’s dishonest intentions and motives (such as exploiting the reputation and prestige of the trademark for profit, reselling, licensing, or transferring registration rights, and preventing market entry). On the other hand, it establishes a broader, more comprehensive regulation that covers other acts contrary to fair trade practices. This opens up opportunities for genuine trademark owners to prove bad faith and reclaim their trademark rights through opposition, third-party opinions, or invalidation procedures.

第 34.2(b) 条的开放性允许对申请人的意图和动机进行更广泛的解释，而不仅限于特定行为。这种灵活性有助于越南知识产权局和知识产权权利人识别在本法颁布时可能没有明确预见到的、但仍属于本法一般精神的不诚实或恶意行为。 “违反其他公平贸易惯例的行为”的有关条文是一项综合性规定，涵盖了所有破坏商标保护制度的完整性和贸易公平性的滥用行为。

The open design of Article 34.2(b) allows for a broader interpretation of the applicant’s intentions and motives, not just limited to specific acts. This flexibility aids IP Vietnam and IP rights holders by identifying acts of dishonesty or bad faith that may not have been clearly foreseen at the time the law was enacted but still fall within the general spirit of the law. The provision concerning “conducts contrary to other fair trade practices” serves as a comprehensive regulation, covering all forms of abuse that undermine the integrity of the trademark protection system and fairness in trade.

结论 – Final thoughts

虽然第 34.2(b) 条的解释是开放式的，但可以预见证明商标注册背后的意图和动机将是一项重大挑战，尤其是在越南商标抢注行为日益复杂且不断变化的背景下。意图本身是主观的，如果没有揭示申请人动机的明确陈述或行动，通常很难证明。在实践中，信誉良好的商标的注册经常被“隐藏”在与合法商标所有人无关的组织或个人名下。这被认为是一种老练的技巧，处理起来绝非易事。此外，如果申请人只是利用先申请制原则尽快注册他人拥有的商标，并且没有实施将商标用于牟利的行为，那么证明恶意几乎是不可能的。如果第三方注册的商标“相似但不相同”，或者仅针对与尚未在越南注册的知名商标的产品类似的产品，情况就会变得更加复杂，使得合法商标所有者在阻止此类行为或收回其权利方面只有有限追索权。

Although Article 34.2(b) is designed openly, proving the intention and motive behind trademark registration is predicted to be a significant challenge, especially in the context that trademark squatting in Vietnam becomes increasingly sophisticated and constantly changing in Vietnam. Intent is inherently subjective and often difficult to prove without explicit statements or actions that reveal the applicant’s motives. In practice, the registration of reputable trademarks is frequently “concealed” (or “hidden”) under the names of organizations or individuals unrelated to the legitimate trademark owner. This is considered a sophisticated trick and dealing with it is never simple. Moreover, if an applicant simply exploits the first-to-file principle to register a trademark owned by another as soon as possible and without performing the act of offering the trademark for profit, proving bad faith is nearly impossible. The situation becomes even more sophisticated and complicated if a third party registers trademarks that are “similar but not identical”, or only for products akin to well-known ones that have not yet been registered in Vietnam, leaving the legitimate trademark owner with limited recourse to prevent or reclaim their rights. 

请联系 KENFOX IP & Law Office，深入咨询关于您知识产权问题的最有效解决方案，尤其是在越南遇到恶意商标注册的情况下。凭借丰富的实践经验和成功解决商标争议（包括行政和诉讼）的业绩，KENFOX 已做好充分的准备帮助您以最有效的方式保护您的权利。

Please contact KENFOX知识产权律师事务所 for in-depth advice on the most effective solutions to your intellectual property issues, especially in cases of bad faith trademark registration in Vietnam. With extensive practical experience and a successful track record in resolving trademark disputes both administratively and through court proceedings, KENFOX is well-equipped to help you protect your rights in the most effective manner.