Trade Marks Act 1994

Determination of invalidity and liability to revocation in relation to claim of seniority under paragraph 26 U.K.

[F1 27 (1) Where a relevant mark has claimed seniority of a registered trade mark which has been—

(a) removed from the register under section 43; or

(b) surrendered under section 45,

any person may apply to the registrar or to the court for the declaration set out in sub-paragraph (2).

(2) The declaration is that, if the trade mark had not been so removed or surrendered, the registration of the trade mark would have been liable to be revoked under section 46 with effect from a date specified in the declaration or declared invalid under section 47.

(3) Where the declaration is that had the trade mark not been so removed or surrendered, the registration of it would have been liable to be—

(a) revoked under section 46 with effect from a date prior to—

(i) the filing date accorded pursuant to Article 32 to the existing EUTM application on which the application for registration of a relevant mark is based where there has been no claim of priority; or

(ii) the priority date (if any) accorded pursuant to a right of priority claimed pursuant to Article 35 in respect of the existing EUTM application on which the registration of a relevant mark is based where there has been a claim of priority; or

(b) declared invalid under section 47,

the seniority claimed for the relevant mark is to be treated as if it never had effect.

(4) Where a relevant mark has claimed seniority of a protected international trade mark (UK) which has been—

(a) removed from the register of trade marks maintained by the International Bureau for the purposes of the Madrid Protocol; or

(b) surrendered under the Madrid Protocol,

any person may apply to the registrar or to the court for the declaration set out in sub-paragraph (5).

(5) The declaration is that, if the trade mark had not been so removed or surrendered, the protection of the trade mark in the United Kingdom would have been liable to be revoked under section 46 with effect from a date specified in the declaration or declared invalid under section 47.

(6) Where the declaration is that had the trade mark not been so removed or surrendered, the registration of it would have been liable to be—

(a) revoked under section 46 with effect from a date prior to—

(i) the filing date accorded pursuant to Article 32 to the existing EUTM application on which the application for registration of a relevant mark is based where there has been no claim of priority; or

(ii) the priority date (if any) accorded pursuant to a right of priority claimed pursuant to Article 35 in respect of the existing EUTM application on which the registration of a relevant mark is based where there has been a claim of priority; or

(b) declared invalid under section 47,

the seniority claimed for the relevant mark is to be treated as if it never had effect.

(7) References in sub-paragraphs (5) and (6) to sections 46 and 47 are to those sections as they apply to a protected international trade mark (UK) under an order made pursuant to section 54.

(8) Where a trade mark has been surrendered or allowed to lapse in respect of only some of the goods or services for which it is registered, the declaration in sub-paragraphs (2) and (5) is that if the goods or services had not been removed from the registration, the registration of the trade mark would have been liable to be revoked under section 46 with effect from a date specified in the declaration or declared invalid under section 47 and sub-paragraphs (3) and (6) shall be construed accordingly.

(9) The provisions of paragraph 15 apply in relation to an application under this paragraph as they apply to an application under paragraph 14.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Sch. 2A inserted (31.12.2020) by The Trade Marks (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/269), reg. 1(1), Sch. 1 para. 3 (as amended by S.I. 2020/1050, regs. 1(2), 9(b)(i)(ii)); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)