国内代理商代理境外品牌未及时注册，遭“见利抢注” 如何维权？

国内代理商代理境外品牌未及时注册，遭“见利抢注”

如何维权？

How Can a Domestic Agent Respond When an Overseas Brand Is Maliciously Registered by a Third Party?

作者：马海霞

Author:Maggie

关键词：境外品牌；商标抢注；有一定影响的商业标识；反不正当竞争

Keywords:Overseas brand; trademark squatting; influential commercial identifier; anti-unfair competition

一、问题的提出

I. Issue Raised

国内代理商在代理境外品牌过程中，往往投入大量资金和精力进行市场推广，使品牌在国内积累一定知名度。但若未及时在国内完成商标注册，就可能被他人“见利抢注”。抢注人取得商标后，还可能通过平台投诉、发函施压、索要高额转让费等方式滥用权利，导致代理商正常经营受阻。

Domestic agents often invest substantial funds and efforts in promoting overseas brands, helping them gain recognition in China. However, if the brand is not registered domestically in time, third parties may engage in “profit-driven trademark squatting.” After obtaining the registered trademark, the squatter may abuse its rights by filing platform complaints, sending threatening letters, or demanding high transfer fees, thereby disrupting the agent’s normal business operations.

本案要解决的问题是：在境外品牌未及时注册、国内商标被抢注的情况下，代理商如何通过证明该品牌属于“有一定影响的商业标识”并享有在先权利，运用《反不正当竞争法》规制抢注及滥用权利行为，维护自身合法权益。

This case addresses how a domestic agent can prove that the brand constitutes an “influential commercial identifier” and that it enjoys prior rights, and how it can use the Anti-Unfair Competition Law to address trademark squatting and abuse of rights.

二、案情简介

II. Background

原告某公司系境外知名“绿叶”品牌酱料在国内的独家代理商，多年来持续投入市场推广。该品牌通过跨境电商与口碑传播，在国内已具备较高知名度，但原告因疏忽未及时在国内注册“绿叶”及相关中文译名商标。

The plaintiff, a company, was the exclusive domestic agent for the well-known overseas “Green Leaf” brand sauces. Over many years, it continuously invested in market promotion. Through cross-border e-commerce and word-of-mouth sharing, the brand gained considerable recognition in China. However, the plaintiff failed to register the “Green Leaf” trademark and its Chinese translations in China in time.

被告安心公司发现该酱料销售火爆后，恶意抢注“绿叶”及其中文译名商标，并利用抢注商标向各大电商平台发起投诉，导致原告旗下数十家正规店铺产品被强制下架，经营陷入停滞。安心公司还向原告发送律师函，以数百万元价格胁迫原告购买该商标。

After discovering the strong sales of the sauces, Anxin Company maliciously registered the “Green Leaf” trademark and its Chinese translations. It then used the registered trademarks to file complaints against major e-commerce platforms, resulting in the forced removal of products from dozens of the plaintiff’s legitimate stores and causing serious business disruption. Anxin Company also sent a lawyer’s letter to the plaintiff, attempting to coerce it into purchasing the trademark for several million yuan.

原告在行政救济阶段曾提出商标无效宣告请求，但被告反复提起复审与行政诉讼，恶意拖延程序。随后，原告调整策略，以《反不正当竞争法》为突破口提起诉讼，提交了多年宣传记录、销售数据、海外代购凭证及被告勒索聊天记录等证据，证明“绿叶”品牌在抢注前已属于“有一定影响的商业标识”，被告行为系恶意攀附、滥用权利。

The plaintiff initially sought invalidation of the disputed trademarks through administrative procedures. However, the defendant repeatedly filed reviews and administrative lawsuits, deliberately delaying the process. The plaintiff then adjusted its strategy and filed a civil lawsuit under the Anti-Unfair Competition Law. It submitted evidence including years of promotional records, sales data, overseas purchasing vouchers, and chat records showing the defendant’s extortion attempts, proving that the “Green Leaf” brand had already become an “influential commercial identifier” before the squatting, and that the defendant’s conduct amounted to bad-faith free-riding and abuse of rights.

法院认为，原告虽未注册国内商标，但“绿叶”品牌已为我国相关公众所知悉，原告作为代理商享有合法在先权利。被告明知品牌知名度，不以真实使用为目的恶意抢注，并利用商标进行恶意投诉、阻碍经营，违背诚实信用原则，造成市场混淆，构成不正当竞争。最终，法院判令被告停止恶意投诉及虚假宣传等行为，登报消除影响，并赔偿原告经济损失及合理维权开支共计80万元。

The court held that although the plaintiff had not registered the domestic trademark, the “Green Leaf” brand was already known to the relevant public in China, and the plaintiff, as the agent, enjoyed legitimate prior rights. The defendant, fully aware of the brand’s reputation, registered the trademarks maliciously without any genuine intention to use them, and further abused the trademarks through malicious complaints to obstruct the plaintiff’s business. Such conduct violated the principle of good faith, caused market confusion, and constituted unfair competition. The court ultimately ordered the defendant to cease malicious complaints and false publicity, publish a statement to eliminate the adverse impact, and compensate the plaintiff for economic losses and reasonable enforcement expenses totaling 800,000 yuan.

三、启示

Ⅲ. Implications

国内代理商代理境外品牌未及时注册而遭抢注时，除通过商标异议、无效宣告等行政程序维权外，还可结合案件事实提起民事诉讼。若能证明被抢注品牌在抢注前已属于“有一定影响的商业标识”，且抢注人存在恶意攀附、恶意投诉、胁迫高价转让等滥用权利行为，可依据《反不正当竞争法》主张其构成不正当竞争，请求停止侵害、消除影响并赔偿损失。

When a domestic agent fails to register an overseas brand in time and faces trademark squatting, it may pursue administrative remedies such as trademark opposition or invalidation. In addition, depending on the facts, it may also file a civil lawsuit. If it can prove that the brand had already become an “influential commercial identifier” before the squatting, and that the squatter engaged in bad-faith free-riding, malicious platform complaints, or coercive demands for high transfer fees, the agent may claim unfair competition under the Anti-Unfair Competition Law and seek injunctions, elimination of adverse impact, and damages.

四、相关规定

IV. Relevant Provisions(Translation for Reference Only)

《中华人民共和国反不正当竞争法》

Anti-Unfair Competition Law of the People's Republic of China

第二条 经营者在市场竞争中应当遵循自愿、平等、公平、诚信原则，遵守法律和商业道德。  

Article 2: Business operators shall follow the principles of voluntariness, equality, fairness, and good faith, and comply with laws and business ethics.

第六条 禁止擅自使用与他人有一定影响的商品名称、包装、装潢等相同或近似的标识，实施足以引人误认的混淆行为。

Article 6: Prohibits the unauthorized use of identifiers identical or similar to those of another party’s influential commodities, including product names, packaging, and decoration, such use is likely to cause consumer confusion.

《中华人民共和国商标法》

Trademark Law of the People's Republic of China

第十五条 禁止代理人、代表人或具有特定业务关系的当事人未经授权抢注被代理人、被代表人商标。  

Article 15: Prohibits agents, representatives, or parties with certain business relationships from registering, without authorization, the trademarks of the principals or represented parties.

第三十二条 申请商标注册不得损害他人现有的在先权利，也不得以不正当手段抢先注册他人已经使用并有一定影响的商标。

Article 32: Trademark applications shall not prejudice others’ existing prior rights, nor shall they preemptively register, by unfair means, trademarks already used by others and having certain influence.

《中华人民共和国民法典》

Civil Code of the People's Republic of China

第七条 民事主体从事民事活动，应当遵循诚信原则，秉持诚实，恪守承诺。

Article 7: A civil subject engaged in civil activities shall follow the principle of good faith, uphold honesty, and honor commitments.

第一百三十二条 民事主体不得滥用民事权利损害国家利益、社会公共利益或者他人合法权益。

Article 132: A civil subject may not abuse civil rights to harm national interests, public interests, or the lawful rights and interests of others.

具体条款适用，需以案件发生时有效的法律及相关司法解释为准。

The specific provisions applied shall be determined according to the Law and relevant judicial interpretations in force at the time of the case.