| As one pair of the most important concepts in trademark system, registration and use play key roles in trademark right verification. How to deal with the relationship between them and balance their legal effects are always the critical issues that all the countries have to confront with. Primarily, the trademark right originates from the actual use by enterprises in the commerce. This can be verified by the historical evolution of trademark system, and is consistent with the theory of property-labor and the doctrine of semiotics. As most countries in the world have established trademark registration system, the trademark right is essentially acquired through actual use or registration.However, the two models are not always opposite to each other. Even within the trademark law of the same model, the legal status of registration or use differs more or less from country to country. Whatever approach adopted, it is critical for all the countries to try to make a better balance between registration and use. In the current world, there still exist differences between the two models, but nearly all the countries adopt a trademark right verification system with a compromising character to some extent. As to the use model, while the trademark law still insists that trademark right originates from actual use, registration can play an important role in testifying and strengthening the trademark right. For the registration model, the law still adheres to the registration principle, while admits that trademark use could also result in legal right in order to overcome the by-effect of registration principle.The current trademark law of China adopts a kind of absolute registration model, and as a result, the un-registered trademark can not be protected by law. As a solution, the legislature of China should revise and improve the trademark law by clearly stipulating that trademark right can also be acquired through actual use while following the traditional registration model. The current draft prepared by the SAIC pays too much attention on legal procedures, and neglects the essential issue concerning the role of use in trademark right verification, therefore makes no substantive improvement. |
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