英国商标数据-2023年回顾

英国知识产权局（UKIPO）每年都会发布上一年的商标、专利和外观设计申请相关数据。我们此前已经提供了2021年商标活动报告、2022年商标回顾报告。英国知识产权局（UKIPO）近期与我们分享了其2023年数据，并且出现了一些有趣的特征——特别是在商标新申请审查方面。这进一步凸显了订阅商标监视的价值，这使品牌所有者可以及时被提醒新的、有冲突的商标申请。此外，在异议的情况下，75% 的案件无答辩或双方达成友好和解。这表明，有针对性且战略性的异议申请可为在先商标所有者带来积极的结果。

Each year the UKIPO publish facts and figures relating to the trade mark, patent and design filings of the previous calendar year. We have provided previous reports for TM activity 2021 and 2022. The UKIPO recently shared the figures for 2023 with us, and there are some intriguing patterns emerging - especially as regards examination of new TM applications. This reinforces the value of putting in place trade mark watching subscriptions so that brand owners are alerted to the filing of new, conflicting, TM applications. It also appears that, where oppositions are filed, in 75% of cases they either they go undefended or an amicable settlement is reached by the parties. This suggests a well-targeted and strategic approach to opposition filings should yield positive results for earlier TM owners.

Overall, there was a slight increase in TM filings from 2022, as 2023 witnessed the second highest number of new TM applications filed.  The number of oppositions to trade mark applications also remained notably high. The UKIPO TM tribunal division has been extremely busy of late, with officially reported delays in the scheduling of hearings and issuing of decisions in oppositions and cancellation actions.

下文将讨论2023年数据的关键信息，并为品牌所有人提供针对这些趋势的处理建议。

We discuss the key issues of the 2023 data below, with advice for what brand owners should do in light of these national trends. 

在2021年前，商标申请总量逐年增加。虽然2017年UKIPO仅收到95203件商标申请， 2021年申请量已增至196639 件，五年间增长了107%。截至 2021 年，每年都是申请数量创纪录的一年。

In the years running up to 2021, the total number of trade mark filings had been increasing year on year. While only 95,203 trade mark applications were filed at the UKIPO in 2017, filings grew to 196,639 in 2021 – an increase of 107% in 5 years. Each successive year up to 2021 was a record filing year. 

2022 年的申请总量相比2021年的历史高峰减少了19%，降至158821件。这虽然是申请数量相当规模的下降，但值得注意的是，2022年的申请量仍然为史上第二高。

2022 however saw a 19% fall from 2021’s record high, with the total number of filings dropping to 158,821. This may have been a sizeable step down in filings, but it is important to note that it was still comfortably the 2nd highest filing year. 

2023年全年共提交了163726件商标新申请。这可能仅比 2022 年的数据略有增加（约 3%），但仍约为 2017 年申请数量的两倍。

2023 saw 163,726 applications filed during the calendar year. This may represent only a slight (~3%) increase on 2022’s figures, however it is still approximately double the number of applications filed in 2017.

Total Applications Filed Per Calendar Year

UKIPO对这一趋势变化发表的评论认为，2020和2021年申请量激增的原因是来自中国申请人的申请量的增长、Covid-19大流行的影响（例如，申请人为其多元化的商业活动寻求商标保护），当然还有英国脱欧的影响。前两个因素似乎也影响了世界其他知识产权局收到的申请的趋势变化，但最后一个因素对UKIPO的趋势变化有着独特影响。

The UKIPO have commented on these trends in recent years, attributing the previous surge in 2020 and 2021 to an increasing number of filings by Chinese applicants, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic (for example, Applicants seeking trade mark protection for their diversified commercial activities), and of course the UK’s exit from the European Union. While it seems that the first two of these factors have influenced filing trends at other IP Offices around the world, the latter is naturally a unique influence upon trends at the UKIPO.

回望2023年，UKIPO已经确认*1：

Looking at 2023 in particular, the UKIPO have confirmed that*1: 

• 英国申请人直接向UKIPO提交了 85845 件商标申请（本土申请），与 2022 年相比增长了 7.3%。

  85,845 trade mark applications were filed directly with the UK IPO (domestic applications) from UK-based applicants, which represents an increase of 7.3% compared to 2022.

  
  

• 46121份直接向UKIPO提交的申请来自非英国申请人，比 2022 年增加了 4.5%。

  46,121 direct applications to the IPO were from non-UK-based applicants, which is a 4.5% increase from 2022.

  
  

• 31759份商标申请是通过国际注册（IR）途径，比2022年降低了8.5%。

  31,759 trade mark applications were made through the International Registration (IR) route, an 8.5% decrease from 2022. 

*1 https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/facts-and-figures-patents-trade-marks-designs-and-hearings-2023/facts-and-figures-patents-trade-marks-designs-and-hearings-2023

有趣的是，对于非英国申请人来说，直接在英国申请的方式相比通过国际注册指定英国更受欢迎。

It is interesting to note that direct national applications were a more popular filing method for non-UK-based applicants than designating the UK under international registrations.  

2023年，有143513件英国商标申请获准注册。

2023 saw 143,513 UKTM applications reach registration. 

回顾过去，正如我们的图表所示，2022 年是UKIPO商标注册数量首次超过商标申请数量的一年。这一奇事确实是可能的，因为成功的申请并不一定在申请当年就获准注册。例如，2021 年 12 月 31 日提交的申请在2022年前不可能获准注册。

Looking back, and as can be seen on our graph, 2022 was the first year that the UKIPO registered more trade mark applications than were filed. This quirky fact is indeed possible as successful applications do not necessarily reach registration in the year in which they were filed. For example, an application filed 31 December 2021 could not achieve registration until 2022.  

正如我们去年所预料，由于 2020/2021 年的申请积压案件已清理完毕，且 2022 年的申请数量减少，2023 年的注册总数量出现了更显著的下降。

As we had anticipated last year, there has been a more significant step down in the total registration numbers for the year 2023, as the 2020/2021 prosecution backlog is cleared and with fewer filings from 2022 following them.

UKIPO审查商标申请时，将检索在先近似商标。申请人会收到一份检索报告，包含在先商标的详细信息，申请人有机会在继续申请之前修改或撤回其申请。如申请继续，在先商标所有人会收到关于该申请的通知，这可能会触发异议程序。

When UK TM applications are examined by the UKIPO, the examination includes a search for earlier registrations of similar TMs. The Applicant is provided with details of any trade marks cited in the search report, and given the opportunity to amend or withdraw the application before it proceeds. When the application does proceed and the owners of the earlier cited TMs are notified, this can prompt oppositions.

官方发来的预警通知非常重要，商标所有人对此必须仔细考量，以确保自身注册权利不被削弱。商标所有人的应对措施包括寻求专业建议、采取行动提出异议或以其他方式反对商标的使用或注册。数据显示，UKIPO发布通知的次数有所减少，这凸显了品牌所有者实施商标监控措施以防止相冲突的商标申请获得注册的价值。

These warning notifications are important, and TM owners must consider them carefully if they are to ensure that their registered rights do not become diluted. This may include taking professional advice and taking steps to oppose or otherwise object to use or registration of the trade mark. The numbers show there has been a decrease in the number of times the UKIPO is issuing notifications, which reinforces the value of putting in place TM watching measures for brand owners to prevent conflicting TM applications from reaching registration.

2023年，共计28026件申请的官方检索报告中引用了至少一个在先冲突商标。这是 2019 年至 2023 年（含）期间的最低数字，在连续几年创下历史新高申请率之后，这一数字有些令人惊讶。

In 2023 the number of applications in which the official search cited at least one earlier conflicting trade mark was 28,026. This is the lowest figure in the period 2019 – 2023 inclusive, which is somewhat surprising following on from back to back years of record high filing rates.

粗略地说¹，2019 年约 28% 的申请在UKIPO的审查检索报告中收到至少一个引证商标，但 2023 年只有约 17% 的申请收到至少一个引证商标。

Roughly speaking¹, around 28% of filings in 2019 received at least one citation during the UKIPO Examiner’s search report, however only ~17% of filings received at least one citation in 2023.  

与“至少有 1个引证商标的申请的平均引证数量”的数据一起考虑时，这一点尤其有趣 - 因为这一数字似乎正在缓慢上升。虽然 2019 年至少有 1个引证商标的申请的平均引证数量为 3.8，但多年来这一数字缓慢增长，到 2023 年为 4.2。

This is particularly interesting when considered alongside the figures for ‘average number of citations raised per application in which at least 1 citation was raised’ - as this appears to be creeping upwards. While in 2019 the average number of citations per application in which at least 1 citation was raised was 3.8, this has grown slowly over the years to an average of 4.2 in 2023.  

简而言之，趋势似乎是，在检索报告中收到引证商标的商标申请的数量在减少，但一旦有引证，引证商标的数量可能会较多。这意味着，除非商标权利人订阅了商标监视服务，否则第三方商标申请在未通知在先商标权利人的情况下获准注册的风险比前几年增大。

In short, the trend appears to be that fewer applications are receiving citations in their search report but, where citations are raised, you are likely to receive more citations. This means that unless TM owners have a TM watching subscription in place there is a greater risk than in previous years that third party TM applications could proceed to registration without earlier TM owners being notified.

英国的异议期是自“公告”之日起两个月。但是，商标所有人可以通过提交 TM7a“异议威胁通知”将异议期延长1个月。该程序的目的是让申请人了解，有第三方正在考虑提出异议。

The opposition period in the UK is two months from ‘publication’. However, trade mark owners can obtain a 1 month extension to this timeframe by filing a TM7a ‘Notice of threatened opposition’. This process puts the Applicant on notice that a third party is considering bringing an opposition.

2020年以来，TM7A通知的提交量急剧上升，并且这一数量在2023年仍保持高位。

We have seen a dramatic rise in the number of TM7As being filed since 2020, and this figure remained high in 2023.

• 2020年，仅7466件TM7A电子申请提交

  In 2020 only 7,466 eTM7As were filed

  
  

• 2021年，TM7A电子申请数量激增，年增长了87%至13978件

  In 2021, the number of filed eTM7As shot up, rising by 87% year on year to reach 13,978.

  
  

• 2022年，TM7A电子申请总量轻微回落到13108件

  The total number of eTM7As filed in 2022 dropped slightly to 13,108.

  
  

• 2023年，TM7A电子数量申请为10725件。这比2022年有所下降，但是仍明显高于 2019 年疫情前8016件的最高申请数量

  10,725 eTM7As were filed in 2023. This is a drop from 2022, but still significantly higher than the pre-pandemic high of 8,016 filings in 2019.

如上所述，第一年提交的申请可能要到第二年才能收到 TM7A电子通知。尽管如此，粗略比较 2022 年和 2023 年的申请数量和收到的异议威胁数量，可以发现收到异议威胁的申请比例一直保持在约 7-8% 的水平。

As noted above, an application filed one year may not receive an eTM7A until the following year. Nonetheless, loosely comparing filing figures and threatened oppositions in 2022 and 2023 suggests that the proportion of filings to receive a threat of opposition has stayed level at around ~7-8%. 

2023年商标异议申请（TM7s）数量是7814件-这比2022年的9529件略低，但仍保持高位。

The number of oppositions (TM7s) served in 2023 was 7,814 – this was lower than 2022’s peak of 9,529, but still remained high.

2019 到 2022 年，UKIPO每年受理的异议数量增加了一倍多。这主要是由于上述英国商标量的增长，并且是在 2020 和 2021 年申请大丰收之后。与 2022 年相比，2023 年受理的异议数量略有下降，这似乎与 2021 年高峰以来提交的英国商标申请数量降低相吻合。

The annual number of oppositions served at the UKIPO more than doubled from 2019 to 2022. This will primarily be a consequence of the growth of the UKTM Register outlined above, and follows the bumper filing years of 2020 and 2021. The slight decline in oppositions served in 2023 as compared to 2022 appears to align with the lower number of UKTM applications filed since 2021’s peak. 

有趣的是，2023年结案的大约75%的英国商标异议申请是在没有提交TM8表格（申请人答辩和抗辩）的情况下结束的。如果申请或异议被撤回（可能是在双方友好协商之后），或者申请人未能在绝限日期之前提交答辩和TM8 表格，则异议将以这种方式结束。

Interestingly, around 75% of UKTM oppositions that closed in 2023 concluded without the filing of a Form TM8 (Notice of Applicant’s Defence and Counterstatement). Oppositions will conclude in this way if the application or opposition is withdrawn (perhaps following amicable settlement between the parties), or if the Applicant simply fails to file their defence and form TM8 by their deadline.

许多异议威胁和大多数的正式异议都会通过某种形式的协议进行和解，而后导致对异议或申请进行撤回或修改。英国的异议程序规则允许在异议正式答辩之前有一个冷静期，以便双方在此期间进行谈判协商以达成和解。

Many threatened oppositions and most formal opposition proceedings are settled by some form of agreement, resulting in either the opposition or the application being withdrawn or amended. The rules of opposition proceedings in the UK allow for a cooling-off period for discussion of a possible settlement before the opposition has to be defended formally.

近年来，UKIPO商标异议程序数量会急剧增加，但是进入冷静期的请求也相应增加。2023 年要求进入冷静期的请求数量比 2019 年增加了近一倍，这与当时异议申请增涨数量相一致。

The number of opposition proceedings at the UKIPO may have risen dramatically in recent years, but the requests to enter cooling-off periods have risen accordingly too. The number of requests to enter the cooling-off period in 2023 nearly doubled from 2019’s figures, tracking with the increased number of oppositions served in that time.

2023 年，约26%的异议提出TM9C冷静期请求并被UKIPO接受，这一比例与近年来水平相当 — 2021 年除外，该年只有 19% 的异议寻求冷静期。

TM9C cooling off requests were accepted by the UKIPO in approximately 26% of the 2023’s served oppositions, which is comparable with levels for recent years - except for 2021 where notably only 19% of oppositions sought cooling off.

这似乎表明，尽管异议申请数量随着英国商标申请数量大幅提升，但在先商标的所有者和在后的申请人在可能的情况下仍倾向于寻求友好和解方案。

This seems to suggest that while the number of oppositions has broadly risen in line with the number of UKTM applications, earlier trade mark owners and applicants remain willing to pursue amicable settlement of oppositions where possible.

• 与 2022年相比，2023年的商标新申请量有所上升

  New trade mark application filings rose in 2023 as compared to 2022

  
  

• 2023年异议数量仍保持高位，这是近些年来申请数量创历史新高的产物

  Numbers of oppositions have remained high in 2023, a product of historically high application numbers in recent years

  
  

• 在审查员的检索报告中收到引证商标的商标申请的比例较小，但在有引证商标的情况下，引证商标的数量较多

  A smaller proportion of applications are receiving any citations during the Examiner’s search report – but those that do receive any citations are receiving more hits.

  
  

• 2023年UKIPO受理的异议申请约75%或因双方和解或因申请人缺席而异议人获胜（即，商标申请人未在流程结束前提交答辩）

  ~75% of trade mark oppositions filed at the UKIPO in 2023 were either settled or won by default (i.e. proceedings concluded without the filing of the Applicant’s defence). 

鉴于英国商标申请数量的增加,以及英国脱欧后欧盟商标被克隆到英国导致的英国商标注册规模的急剧扩大，在使用和申请新品牌之前进行可用性检索尤为重要。 

Given the increased number of trade mark filings in the UK and the dramatic increase in the size of the UK trade mark register following the cloning of EUTMs onto the UK register after Brexit, conducting availability searching before using and applying is particularly important. 

因此，品牌所有者应就如何管理侵权和异议风险寻求专家的建议。

Brand owners should therefore take specialist advice on how to manage the infringement and opposition risks.

The UK TM portfolios of most businesses have increased significantly post-Brexit, adding to costs and the administrative burden. We recommend undertaking regular portfolio reviews to keep on top of renewals, maintain up-to-date details and ensure that the portfolio continues to be accurate and reflective of your business needs and support strategies for enforcement to keep brands exclusive and avoid confusion.

对于已注册商标的所有者来说，申请数量的增加也使得制定一项策略来管理从UKIPO收到的与在后申请有关的通知变得尤为重要。品牌所有者应制定策略，确定在何时以及何种情形下采取行动。

For the owners of registered UK TMs the increased numbers of filings also make it particularly important to have a strategy in place for managing notifications received from the UKIPO of the filing of later applications. Brand owners should devise a strategy of when and where to take action.

如前所述，UKIPO发出的通知数量已略有减少，因此品牌所有者也应考虑订购商标监测监控的套餐服务，以便及时获得在后提交的潜在冲突商标的信息，来避免品牌淡化和市场混淆。

As discussed above, there is slight decrease in the number of notifications being sent out from the UKIPO so brand owners should also consider subscribing to trade mark monitoring and watching packages to be notified of the filing of potentially conflicting marks and avoiding dilution of brands and confusion in the marketplace.

为了帮助商标所有者应对相关的引证通知，麦仕奇开发了一套有效的流程来管理通知、提供简明建议并协助促进高效的决策。我们训练有素、经验丰富的团队采用特定的工作流程系统，确保能以经济高效的方式提供高质量的支持协助。

To assist TM owners manage these citations, Marks & Clerk has developed an effective process for managing notifications, delivering succinct advice and facilitating fast decision making. Our highly trained and experienced team uses specific workflow systems to ensure this support is delivered cost-efficiently and at a high quality.

The numbers suggest that of all oppositions closed, 75% are concluded either by amicable settlement or in favour of the opponent by default (where the applicant does not file a defence). This suggests opposition is often worthwhile and may achieve a positive outcome in most cases for the opponent/earlier brand owner either through an amicable settlement which provides assurance that the risk of conflict in the marketplace is avoided, or through abandonment of the application by the applicant.