{"id":883,"date":"2024-02-29T12:00:07","date_gmt":"2024-02-29T11:00:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.interty.com\/procedure-for-trademark-invalidity-and-revocation-before-the-spanish-patent-and-trademark-office-spto\/"},"modified":"2025-07-15T09:33:07","modified_gmt":"2025-07-15T07:33:07","slug":"procedure-for-trademark-invalidity-and-revocation-before-the-spanish-patent-and-trademark-office-spto","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.interty.com\/es\/procedure-for-trademark-invalidity-and-revocation-before-the-spanish-patent-and-trademark-office-spto\/","title":{"rendered":"Procedure for trademark invalidity and revocation before the Spanish Patent and Trademark Office (SPTO)"},"content":{"rendered":"[vc_row type=\u00bbin_container\u00bb full_screen_row_position=\u00bbmiddle\u00bb column_margin=\u00bbdefault\u00bb column_direction=\u00bbdefault\u00bb column_direction_tablet=\u00bbdefault\u00bb column_direction_phone=\u00bbdefault\u00bb scene_position=\u00bbcenter\u00bb text_color=\u00bbdark\u00bb text_align=\u00bbleft\u00bb row_border_radius=\u00bbnone\u00bb row_border_radius_applies=\u00bbbg\u00bb overflow=\u00bbvisible\u00bb overlay_strength=\u00bb0.3″ gradient_direction=\u00bbleft_to_right\u00bb shape_divider_position=\u00bbbottom\u00bb bg_image_animation=\u00bbnone\u00bb][vc_column column_padding=\u00bbno-extra-padding\u00bb column_padding_tablet=\u00bbinherit\u00bb column_padding_phone=\u00bbinherit\u00bb column_padding_position=\u00bball\u00bb column_element_direction_desktop=\u00bbdefault\u00bb column_element_spacing=\u00bbdefault\u00bb desktop_text_alignment=\u00bbdefault\u00bb tablet_text_alignment=\u00bbdefault\u00bb phone_text_alignment=\u00bbdefault\u00bb background_color_opacity=\u00bb1″ background_hover_color_opacity=\u00bb1″ column_backdrop_filter=\u00bbnone\u00bb column_shadow=\u00bbnone\u00bb column_border_radius=\u00bbnone\u00bb column_link_target=\u00bb_self\u00bb column_position=\u00bbdefault\u00bb gradient_direction=\u00bbleft_to_right\u00bb overlay_strength=\u00bb0.3″ width=\u00bb1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=\u00bbdefault\u00bb animation_type=\u00bbdefault\u00bb bg_image_animation=\u00bbnone\u00bb border_type=\u00bbsimple\u00bb column_border_width=\u00bbnone\u00bb column_border_style=\u00bbsolid\u00bb][vc_column_text text_direction=\u00bbdefault\u00bb]On\u00a0<\/span>14 January 2023<\/b>, the transposition of Directive (EU) 2015\/2436 to approximate the laws relating to trademarks was completed in Spain.<\/span><\/p>\n

What does this mean?<\/h2>\n

Trademark invalidity and revocation actions may now be filed directly before the Spanish Patent and Trademark Office (SPTO)<\/b>\u00a0and not before civil courts, thus avoiding lenghty and costly legal proceedings.<\/span><\/p>\n

On what grounds a trademark registration may be revoked or declared invalid?<\/h2>\n

A trademark registration may be declared<\/span>\u00a0invalid<\/b>\u00a0on the grounds that it is not distinctive, that it is misleading, that there is a risk of confusion with a previous trademark or that the trademark has been applied for in bad faith, among other grounds.<\/span><\/p>\n

On the other hand, interested third parties may file for\u00a0<\/span>revocation<\/b>\u00a0of a trademark that has been registered for more than 5 years due to non-use in the last 5 years. In that case, the trademark titleholder must submit documents proving effective use in said period.<\/span><\/p>\n

What are the advantages for trademark applicants?<\/h2>\n

In the event that there is a trademark registration that may interfere with the launch plans of a trademark, because it is identical or similar to the sign to be registered, a revocation action on the basis of non-use may be filed against said prior trademark, provided that it has been registered for more than 5 years. This could be a strategy to prevent said prior trademark from being a possible obstacle to the use and registration of the sign to be registered.<\/span><\/p>\n

Moreover, if a third party has registered a trademark in bad faith, the affected party may file an invalidity action before the SPTO.<\/span><\/p>\n

The main advantage of this amendment is that the trademark revocation and invalidity proceedings will be an administrative procedure instead of a court procedure, which will not only simplify and speed up proceedings but\u00a0<\/span>will also significantly reduce costs<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

What does it mean for registered trademark titleholders?<\/h2>\n

Titleholders of registered trademarks must take into account that their trademarks that have been\u00a0<\/span>registered for more than 5 years are vulnerable to a revocation action on the basis of non-use,\u00a0<\/b>so third parties may file a revocation action on the basis of non-use before the SPTO to cancel their trademark registration.<\/span><\/p>\n

Until now, court proceedings discouraged third parties from filing a revocation action on the basis of non-use. However, this\u00a0<\/span>new scenario<\/b>\u00a0will surely cause\u00a0<\/span>the number of these actions to skyrocket due to the simplification and cost reduction of the procedure<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Ballester IP team remains at your disposal for any doubts or assistance you may need from us in relation to these new proceedings.<\/span><\/p>\n

\nAuthor: <\/b>Lucas Flores Dreosti<\/b><\/p>\n

Ballester IP<\/span><\/p>\n

Alicante, Spain<\/span>\n<\/div>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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