商标抢注—越南企业主的担忧趋势

商标的丧失可能导致市场准入的丧失。如果商标落入竞争对手手中，合法商标所有人生产的正品可能会变成“假冒产品”。此外，商标投机者（抢注者）还将注册商标作为法律工具来损害真正的商标所有人。以下案例是一个典型例子，突出了持续的相关性和实用价值，同时也强调了对越南所有商业实体而言代价高昂的教训。知识产权盗窃和品牌侵权正变得越来越复杂。

The loss of a trademark can result in a loss of market access. Genuine products produced by the rightful trademark owner may turn out to be “counterfeits” if the trademark falls into the hands of a competitor. Furthermore, trademark speculators (squatters) also exploit registered trademarks as a legal tool to undermine the true trademark owner. The following case serves as a typical example, highlighting the ongoing relevance and practical value, while also emphasizing the costly lesson for all business entities in Vietnam. Intellectual property theft and brand infringement are becoming increasingly sophisticated and complex.

背景 (Background)

HWASUNG 是 HWASUNG 公司用于其电线产品的商号和商标。HWASUNG 是一家韩国公司，与其他两家韩国公司 SEOUL 和 SIMEX 共同出资在永福省成立了 SH-VINA 公司，这是一家韩国 100% 外资企业。

HWASUNG is a trade name and trademark used by HWASUNG Company for their electric wire products. HWASUNG, a Korean company, together with 2 other Korean companies, SEOUL and SIMEX, contributed capital to establish SH-VINA Company, 100% foreign owned enterprise of Korea, in Vinh Phuc province.

越南河内的天富公司申请将“HWASUNG”商标注册用于 09 类电线、电缆和电气产品，并于 2005 年获得注册证书。

Thien Phu Company, based in Hanoi Vietnam, applied to register the trademark “HWASUNG” for products of electric wires, cables and electrical products in Class 09 and was granted the Certificate of Registration Certificate in 2005.

在天富公司注册“HWASUNG”商标后，该公司向河内市场管理局请求扣押由 duy tan 公司和 duy yen 公司销售的大量带有“SH-HWASUNG”商标的商品，包括电缆和电话线。这是 SH-VINA 公司的两个最大的销售代理商。

After registering the trademark “HWASUNG”, Thien Phu Company petitioned Marke Management Agency in Hanoi to seize a large number of goods including electric cables and telephone cables bearing the trademark “SH-HWASUNG” being sold by Duy Tan Company and Duy Yen Company. These are the two biggest sales agents of SH-VINA Company.

SH-VINA 公司称，HWASUNG 品牌的电缆已由 HWASUNG 公司于 2002 年至 2006 年期间通过多家代理商在越南进口和消费。SH-VINA 公司在越南生产带有“SH-HWASUNG”商标的电缆和电线后，才停止进口。SH-VINA 在越南生产的电缆贴有“SH-HWASUNG”的品牌。 然而，直到 2006 年 5 月，SH-VINA 公司才向越南知识产权局 (IP VIETNAM) 申请注册其“SH-HWASUNG”商标。该商标被驳回注册，理由是其与先前注册的天富公司获准的“HWASUNG”商标容易混淆。

SH-VINA Company stated that the HWASUNG branded electric cable has been imported and consumed by HWASUNG Company in Vietnam through a number of agents from 2002 to 2006. This import has only stopped after SH-VINA company produced electric cable and wired bearing the mark “SH-HWASUNG” in Vietnam. Electric cables manufactured in Vietnam by SH-VINA are branded “SH-HWASUNG”. However, until May 2006, SH-VINA company applied to register its mark “SH-HWASUNG” with the Intellectual Property Office of Vietnam (IP VIETNAM). This trademark was rejected for registration on the grounds that it was deemed confusingly similar to the trademark “HWASUNG” was granted to Thien Phu Company which had previously registered.

2006 年 9 月，SH-VINA 公司请求 IP VIETNAM 撤销 THIEN PHU 公司的 HWASUNG 商标注册，理由是该商标与韩国公司 HWASUNG 的商号和 THIEN PHU 公司申请注册前已在越南市场使用的 HWASUNG 商标相同。

In September 2006, SH-VINA Company requested IP VIETNAM to cancel Thien Phu Company’s HWASUNG trademark registration on the grounds that this trademark coincides with the trade name of the Korean company HWASUNG and the trademark HWASUNG which was used in the Vietnamese market before Thien Phu Company filed for registration.

河内市场管理局已发出通知，暂停处理知识产权侵权行为。暂停的原因是 SH-VINA 公司和 THIEN PHU 公司之间存在商标注册权争议。

Hanoi Market Management Agency has issued a notice to suspend the handling of the IPR infringement. The reason for the suspension is that there is a dispute over the trademark registration rights of SH-VINA Company and Thien Phu Company.

2007年11月28日，IP VIETNAM 颁布决定，撤销授予 THIEN PHU 公司的 HWASUNG 商标注册。

On November 28, 2007, IP VIETNAM issued a decision to cancel the HWASUNG trademark registration granted to Thien Phu Company.

2013 年，在申请提交 8 年后，IP VIETNAM 最终颁发了“SH-HWASUNG”商标的商标注册证，正式承认 SH-VINA 公司为该商标的所有人。

In 2013, after 8 years since the application was filed, IP VIETNAM finally issued a Trademark Registration Certificate for the trademark “SH-HWASUNG”, officially recognizing SH-VINA Company as the owner of this trademark.

结论 (A bottom line)

在越南注册商标通常是一个简单且经济高效的过程。虽然这种机制为商标所有者在越南建立所有权提供了一种便捷的方式，但它也容易被利用和滥用。许多商标所有者发现自己卷入了漫长的法律斗争，以夺回自己的商标。在许多情况下，商标投机者成功注册了他人的商标，然后向真正的商标所有者索要高昂的价格以回购该商标。在某些情况下，这些投机者甚至向执法机构施压，要求扣押合法商标所有者的商品。

Registering a trademark in Vietnam is typically a straightforward and cost-effective process. While this mechanism provides a convenient way for trademark owners to establish ownership in Vietnam, it is also susceptible to exploitation and abuse. Many trademark owners find themselves entangled in lengthy legal battles to regain their own trademarks. In numerous cases, trademark speculators have successfully registered someone else’s trademark and then demanded exorbitant prices from the genuine trademark owner to repurchase the mark. In some instances, these speculators go as far as pressuring enforcement agencies to seize the goods of the rightful trademark owner.

这场商标纠纷持续了 8 年，虽然最终以商标所有人胜诉告终，但这无疑消耗了 SH-HWASUNG 品牌在越南市场发展的大量财务资源、时间，甚至商业机会。

The trademark dispute lasted for 8 years, and although it ultimately ended in favor of the trademark owner, it undoubtedly consumed significant financial resources, time, and even business opportunities for the SH-HWASUNG brand’s development in the Vietnamese market.

尽早注册商标至关重要。许多商标所有者因忽视这一基本策略而付出了沉重的代价。在当前知识产权纠纷不断升级、知识产权盗窃手段日益复杂的环境下，商标所有者还必须制定策略，对所有组织和个人保密其商标，直到向越南知识产权局提交商标注册申请。这种预防措施是必要的，以防止第三方滥用“先申请制”原则侵占合法所有者的商标的风险。

It is crucial to register your trademark as soon as possible. Many trademark owners have paid a hefty price due to neglecting this basic strategy. In the current environment of escalating intellectual property disputes and increasingly sophisticated theft of intellectual property, trademark owners must also devise a strategy to keep their trademarks confidential from all organizations and individuals until the mark registration application is filed with the Intellectual Property Office of Vietnam. This precaution is necessary to prevent a risk of a third party abusing “first-to-file” principle to appropriate the rightful owner’s trademark.