Chinese Trademark Office Cracks Down on World Cup Trademark Squatting

On December 2, 2022, the Trademark Office the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) announced the “Cracking Down on Malicious Registration of Trademarks such as “World Cup” and “Raib” in accordance with the law” (关于依法打击恶意抢注“世界杯” “拉伊卜”等商标注册的通告).   Per CNIPA, a small number of enterprises and natural persons maliciously registered trademarks of hot words and logos such as “World Cup,” names of famous football stars, and World Cup mascots “LAEEB” and “Raib,” which violated social and public interests.  Accordingly, CNIPA rejected 26 trademark registrations and cancelled 1 trademark ex officio.

CNIPA stated,

The CNIPA attaches great importance to the protection of intellectual property rights of the World Cup in Qatar, and resolutely cracks down on malicious squatting. In accordance with Article 10.1(7) and other provisions of the Trademark Law, the applications for 26 trademarks including World Cup No. 66999855 and LAEEB No. 63803887 were rejected; in accordance with Article 44, Paragraph 1 of the Trademark Law, the registered trademark “LAEEBS” (No. 63767652) was invalidated ex officio.

The CNIPA will maintain high pressure on squatters, continue to carry out special campaigns against malicious trademark registration, strengthen the protection of World Cup hot words and logos including the World Cup, World Cup mascots, and names of famous football stars, and seriously deal with violations of good faith in accordance with laws and regulations…

Source: natlawreview.com-Aaron Wininger

Editor: IPR Daily-Ann