Source: https://www.riigiteataja.ee/en/eli/ee/RK/a/518112013005/consolide/current
Timestamp: 2019-04-21 06:57:48+00:00

Document:
(1) This Act regulates the legal protection of well-known and registered trade marks and service marks (hereinafter trade mark), rights and obligations related to trade marks and, in the cases provided for in this Act, rights and obligations related to trade marks registered by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (hereinafter EU trade mark) on the basis of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the European Union trade mark (OJ L 154, 16.06.2017, pp. 1–99).
(2) The minister responsible for the area shall issue a regulation for the implementation of this Act in matters where the competence of a Member State for taking decisions arises from corresponding legal acts of the European Union or where the right to issue the regulation arises from this Act (hereinafter regulation on trade marks).
(3) An exclusive right to an international registration valid pursuant to the Protocol Relating to the Madrid Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Marks (RT II 1998, 36, 68) (hereinafter the Madrid Protocol) may be exercised in Estonia only by the person who is entered in the International Register of the International Bureau of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (hereinafter Bureau) as the proprietor of the trade mark unless otherwise provided for in this Act.
(2) Legal protection is afforded only to well-known trade marks, registered trade marks or trade marks valid in Estonia pursuant to the Madrid Protocol the legal protection of which is not precluded on the basis of the provisions of §§ 9 and 10 of this Act.
(1) A sign protected as a trade mark shall be capable of being represented in the register in a manner which enables the competent authorities and the public to determine the clear and precise scope of the legal protection afforded to the trade mark.
(2) The Patent Office shall recognise a trade mark as being well known only in connection with the registration procedure of the given trade mark or other trade marks. The Industrial Property Board of Appeal shall consider a trade mark as being well known only in connection with the adjudication of an appeal against a decision of the Patent Office or a revocation application concerning the legal protection of the trade mark or a request for declaration of nullity of the exclusive right of the proprietor of the trade mark.
(2) Legal protection of a registered trade mark is valid as of the filing date of an application for registration of the trade mark (hereinafter application) until ten years has passed since the filing date of the application. The term of legal protection of a trade mark may be renewed at the request of the proprietor of the trade mark for ten years at a time.
(3) If a trade mark is not registered by the end date of the term of legal protection calculated in accordance with the first sentence of subsection (2) of this section, the term of legal protection of the trade mark is renewed until the mark is registered, for ten years at a time.
12) signs the use of which is prohibited pursuant to other Acts or international agreements.
(3) [Repealed – RT I, 19.03.2019, 5 – entry into force 01.04.2019].
9) trade marks the use whereof may be prohibited by a person who, under the Geographical Indication Protection Act or under legislation of the European Union ensuring the protection of designations of origin and geographical indications, is entitled to exercise the rights deriving from an earlier registered designation of origin or geographical indication.
(2) The circumstances specified in clauses (1) 1)–8) of this section which preclude legal protection are not taken into account if the proprietor of the earlier trade mark or another earlier right consents to the grant of legal protection in writing.
7) a trade mark filed for registration on the basis of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001 of the European Parliament and of the Council if the filing date of the application, date of priority or the seniority date afforded on the basis of the Estonian registration is earlier. A trade mark filed for registration is an earlier trade mark only if it is registered.
(11) A registered designation of origin, geographical indication or plant variety denomination is an earlier right if the application for the registration of the designation of origin, geographical indication or plant variety was filed before the filing date of the application for registration of the trade mark or before the date of priority.
(21) While examining a trade mark with regard to clause 10 (1) 4), the areas of activity of an undertaking are deemed to be those areas of activity of the accounting year ended and areas of activity intended for the new accounting year which were announced to the commercial register or recorded in the annual report before the filing date of the application, the date of international registration or date of priority.
(1) Acts related to trade marks shall be performed at the Patent Office and at the Industrial Property Board of Appeal (hereinafter Board of Appeal) by interested persons or by patent attorneys representing them, who have been awarded the profession of a patent attorney for operating in the area of trade marks pursuant to the Patent Attorneys Act. An interested person or patent attorney may involve, at own expense, an interpreter or adviser without the right of representation in an oral procedure at the Patent Office or at the Board of Appeal.
(3) If several persons jointly perform acts related to trade marks at the Patent Office and at the Board of Appeal, they may authorise a patent attorney as their representative or choose a representative from among themselves (hereinafter joint representative) whose residence, seat or an operating commercial or industrial enterprise is in a Member State of the European Economic Area.
(4) A patent attorney performing acts related to trade marks at the Patent Office and at the Board of Appeal as a representative is presumed to have the right of representation. In case of doubts about the existence of the right of representation, the Patent Office or the Board of Appeal will be entitled to request the patent attorney to submit a power of attorney. The power of attorney shall be submitted within two months after the request.
(5) Personal participation by the applicant or proprietor of the trade mark in the processing regarding acts related to trade marks shall not be deemed waiver of a representative, unless the principal has informed the Patent Office otherwise in writing.
(1) The Patent Office shall submit notices regarding acts related to trade marks to the representative of the applicant, proprietor of the trade mark or other person applying for performance of acts, unless the principal has informed the Patent Office otherwise in writing, and in case there is no representative then to the person himself or herself.
(2) Within the meaning of subsection (1) of this section, a representative is deemed to be a person who has submitted an application or request as a representative of the applicant, proprietor of the trade mark or other person applying for performance of acts, or who has performed other acts in the processing of the Patent Office or who has been entered in the register as the representative of the applicant or proprietor of the trade mark, unless the principal has informed the Patent Office otherwise in writing.
(3) If a person has several representatives within the meaning of subsection (2) of this section, notices shall be submitted to the most recently reported representative; in case of several representatives reported on the same day, the representative who is a patent attorney shall be preferred. If persons jointly performing acts have different representatives, notices shall be submitted to all the representatives.
(4) In case of an applicant, proprietor of the trade mark or other person who has set out an e-mail address in an application or request, and in case of a patent attorney, their consent for submission of notices regarding acts related to trade marks by electronic means is presumed, unless they have informed the Patent Office otherwise in writing.
3) any sign which is identical or similar to a registered trade mark, designating identical, similar types of or different types of goods or services, if the trade mark has a reputation in Estonia and if unjustified use of that sign might take unfair advantage of, or be detrimental to, the distinctive character or the repute of the trade mark.
7) using the sign in comparative advertising in any manner contrary to the Advertising Act.
(21) The proprietor of a trade mark is entitled to prohibit third parties from bringing goods in the course of trade into Estonia without being released for free circulation here, where such goods or their packaging come from outside the states which are Member States of the European Economic Area and bear without the authorisation of the proprietor of the trade mark a mark which is identical with the trade mark protected in respect of such goods, or which cannot be distinguished in its essential aspects from that trade mark. The respective entitlement of the proprietor of the trade mark shall lapse if, during the proceedings to determine whether the trade mark has been infringed, initiated in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 608/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning customs enforcement of intellectual property rights and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 1383/2003 (OJ L 181, 29.06.2013, p. 15-34), evidence is provided by the declarant or the holder of the goods that the proprietor of the trade mark is not entitled to prohibit the placing of the goods on the market in the country of final destination.
(22) If a trade mark has been registered in the name of an agent or representative of the proprietor of the respective trade mark without the latter’s consent, the proprietor of the trade mark is entitled to prohibit the agent or representative to use the trade mark. These grounds do not apply if the activities of the agent or representative are justified.
2) offering or placing on the market, or stocking for those purposes, or importing or exporting any packaging, labels, tags, security or authenticity features or devices or any other means to which the mark is affixed.
5) [repealed – RT I, 19.03.2019, 5 – entry into force 01.04.2019].
(2) The proprietor of an earlier trade mark has no right to prohibit the use of a later trade mark or another later right if the proprietor of the earlier trade mark was aware or should have been aware of the later trade mark or other later right and has agreed, for a period of five consecutive years, with the use of thereof. The limitation does not apply if the proprietor of the later trade mark commenced the use of the trade mark or filed the application in bad faith or if another later right was acquired in bad faith.
(21) The proprietor of an earlier trade mark is not entitled to prohibit the use of a later registered trade mark to the extent that the proprietor of the earlier trade mark is not entitled to claim declaration of nullity of the exclusive right with regard to the later trade mark pursuant to subsection 52 (4) or (6) of this Act, or in case or a later EU trade mark, declaration of invalidity of such trade mark pursuant to Article 60 (1), (3) or (4), Article 61 (1) or (2) or Article 64 (2) or (3) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001 of the European Parliament and of the Council. An objection based on the non-use of an earlier registered trade mark shall be filed with the court in the first response to an action, and it is presumed to be justified.
(22) The proprietor of a trade mark is not entitled to prohibit the use of the trade mark to the extent that during the filing of the action there are grounds for declaring the exclusive right of the proprietor of the trade mark extinguished pursuant to clause 53 (1) 3) or 4) of this Act. Said objection shall be filed with the court in the first response to an action, and it is presumed to be justified.
(23) The proprietor of a later trade mark is not entitled to prohibit the use of an earlier trade mark or another earlier right.
(3) The proprietor of a trade mark has no right to prohibit further commercial exploitation of goods which have been put on the market in Estonia or in a Member State of the European Economic Area under that trade mark by the proprietor or with the proprietor’s consent unless the proprietor has a legitimate interest in opposing further commercial exploitation of goods, especially if the characteristics of the goods have changed since they were put on the market.
(3) The provisions of subsections 16 (22), 41 (21), 52 (4) and clauses 53 (1) 3) and 4) of this Act are not applied if less than five years have passed since the registration of the earlier trade mark.
(4) In case of a trade mark that has been registered pursuant to the Madrid Protocol and has been afforded legal protection in Estonia, the time period specified in subsection (3) of this section shall be calculated from the date when the decision on affording legal protection in Estonia can no longer be contested. If the trade mark has been contested or if notice of contestation on absolute or relative grounds has been given, the specified time period shall be calculated from the date when the decision on termination of the contestation procedure or the decision on the absolute or relative grounds for refusal became final or when contestation was waived.
The provisions of §§ 18–26 of this Act apply to applications and rights conferred by applications, taking into account the specifications arising from the legal status of applications.
4) [repealed – RT I, 19.03.2019, 4 – entry into force 29.03.2019].
(3) The provisions of Chapter 6 of this Act additionally apply to applications for the registration of collective marks or certification marks.
(5) Priority may be established for a trade mark on the basis of several first applications. If several first applications have been filed earlier, the six-month term provided for in subsection (2) of this section shall be calculated from the earliest date of priority.
(2) A request for registration of a trade mark may set out the telephone number of the applicant, the personal identification code in case of an applicant who is a natural person, and the registry code in case of an applicant that is a legal person.
(11) Types of trade marks and requirements for representation of trade marks shall be established by the regulation on trade marks.
(1) The goods and services for which the legal protection of a trade mark is requested shall be indicated with sufficient clarity and precision enabling the competent authorities and the public to determine the scope of the legal protection sought on the basis of the list of goods and services.
(2) The requirements for the list of goods and services shall be established by the regulation on trade marks.
7) the date of issue of the power of attorney.
(3) The Patent Office may accept also a document not specified in subsections (1) and (2) of this section as a document certifying priority, or accept a reference to a public database where all the data underlying a priority claim are reliably accessible to the Patent Office, instead of a document.
(11) A state fee shall be paid for the examination of an application.
(2) The state fee for the examination of an application, and a priority claim and a power of attorney issued to the joint representative of the applicants shall be filed within two months from the filing date of an application.
(3) Documents certifying a priority claim shall be filed within three months from the filing date of the application. Documents certifying priority need not be submitted if priority is claimed on the basis of a first application filed in Estonia or if the Patent Office accepts a reference to the data in a public database instead of a document certifying priority in the case specified in subsection 33 (3) of this Act.
(1) If it becomes evident in the course of verification of the compliance of an application with the requirements for contents and form that a document specified in § 28 of this Act is missing from the application or that the data of the application or documents do not meet the requirements provided for in §§ 30–33 or requirements established pursuant to subsection 31 (11), 311 (2) or 34 (4) of this Act, the Patent Office shall notify the applicant thereof in writing and set a term of at least two months for eliminating of deficiencies or giving explanations.
(2) If an applicant fails to eliminate deficiencies in the applicant’s response to the notice specified in subsection (1) of this section, a decision to reject the application partially or fully shall be made.
(3) If an applicant fails to respond to the notice specified in subsection (1) of this section by the due date, fails to pay the state fee in the prescribed amount within the term specified in subsection 34 (2) of this Act, or fails to file a power of attorney within the prescribed term, the application is deemed to be partially or fully withdrawn.
(31) If the state fee has been partially paid but it is not clear which classes of goods or services the paid amount is meant to cover, the Patent Office shall take the classes into consideration in the order they are set out in the application. The application is deemed to be withdrawn with regard to the classes for which the state fee has not been fully paid. The Patent Office shall notify the applicant about the classes regarding which the processing will continue.
(32) Subsections (1)–(3) of this section shall apply also in case the Patent Office requires the applicant to submit additional data regarding the application in cases prescribed by law or pursuant to law.
(4) If an applicant does not file a priority claim within the term provided for in subsection 34 (2) of this Act or fails to submit the required documents certifying priority by the due date or the priority claim does not comply with the provisions of § 29 or the documents submitted do not certify priority, the Patent Office shall not take the priority claim into consideration.
(1) The Patent Office shall examine a trade mark with regard to the provisions of subsection 9 (1) of this Act.
(2) If an examination reveals circumstances which preclude the legal protection of a trade mark, the Patent Office shall notify the applicant thereof and set a term of at least two months for eliminating said circumstances or giving explanations. If the applicant fails to respond within the set term, the application is deemed to be partially or fully withdrawn.
(1) The decision to register a trade mark shall be made if examination reveals none of the circumstances specified in subsection 9 (1) of this Act which preclude legal protection or if the applicant has eliminated such circumstances which were revealed by the examination and which precluded legal protection.
(2) The decision to refuse to register a trade mark shall be made if the circumstances specified in subsection 9 (1) of this Act which were revealed by the examination and which precluded legal protection are not eliminated by the applicant.
(3) The provisions of subsections (1) and (2) of this section apply to some of the goods and services if the circumstances which preclude legal protection are not valid with regard to all goods or services for which the registration application is filed.
(1) An applicant may file an appeal against a decision of the Patent Office specified in subsections 37 (2), § 39 (2) and 621 (4) of this Act with the Board of Appeal within two months from the date the decision was made.
(2) An interested person may contest an applicant’s right to a trade mark at the Board of Appeal if any circumstances specified in subsection § 10 of this Act which preclude legal protection exist. The term for filing a revocation application is two months from the publication of the notice of the decision to register a trade mark.
(21) The proprietor of an earlier trade mark is not entitled to contest an applicant’s right to a trade mark to the extent that the proprietor has not actually used the earlier registered trade mark during five years before the filing date of the application for the later trade mark or the date of priority without good reason within the meaning of § 17 of this Act or Article 18 of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001 of the European Parliament and of the Council. The respective objection shall be filed with the Board of Appeal in the first written position or with a court in the statement of claim or in the first response to an action, and it is presumed to be justified.
(3) In case a revocation application is granted in whole or in part, the Board of Appeal shall annul the decision of the Patent Office and make a new decision on the registration of the trade mark.
(5) A participant in a processing concerning a revocation application who is not satisfied with a decision of the Board of Appeal regarding the legal protection of a trade mark, may file an action, within the term provided for in subsection 64 (1) of the Principles of Legal Regulation of Industrial Property Act, against another participant in the processing to verify the circumstances specified in § 10 of this Act which preclude the legal protection of the trade mark or non-existence of such circumstances.
(6) In case the appeal, revocation application or action is satisfied in whole or in part, the Patent Office shall continue the processing of the application on the basis of the decision of the Board of Appeal or the court judgment which has entered into force.
(1) Any person may submit to the Patent Office written observations to draw attention to the existence of any circumstances precluding legal protection of a trade mark as specified in subsection 9 (1) of this Act, or in case of a collective mark or certification mark, to the fact that the conditions for registration specified in subsection 621 (1) are not satisfied.
(2) Observations can be submitted within two months after publication of the notice regarding the decision to register the trade mark.
(3) The Patent Office shall review the observations within one month.
(4) If the Patent Office finds an observation to be justified, the Patent Office shall make a decision to revoke the decision to register the trade mark and shall resume the examination of the trade mark. The Patent Office shall communicate said decision and resumption of the examination to the applicant and to the person who submitted the observation.
(5) If the Patent Office finds an observation not to be justified, the Patent Office shall communicate it to the person who submitted the observation. The Patent Office is not required to give reasons for its position.
(6) A person submitting observations is not a participant in a processing concerning the registration of the trade mark.
(7) If the Patent Office makes a decision to register a trade mark after the resumption of the examination of the trade mark, a new term for filing a revocation application does not start as of publication of a notice regarding such decision. The processing of the revocation application filed with regard to the first decision of the Patent Office shall be suspended until the Patent Office makes a new decision, and it shall be deemed as a revocation application filed with regard to the new decision.
(2) The Patent Office shall renew the term specified in subsections 37 (1) and 38 (2) of this Act at the request of the applicant for at least two months at a time but not for longer than thirteen months altogether. The request for the renewal of the term shall be filed and the state fee shall be paid before the end of the term set for the performance of the act.
(1) If the decision to register a trade mark depends on a decision to be made concerning an earlier trade mark, the Patent Office shall suspend the processing of the registration of the later trade mark until a final decision concerning the earlier trade mark enters into force and shall notify the applicant thereof.
(1) An applicant may divide the application into two or more applications by distributing the goods and services among the applications. The application may be divided until a decision to register or refuse the registration of a trade mark is made or until the end of proceedings concerning an appeal filed with regard to or concerning a revocation application deriving from a decision to register or refuse the registration of a trade mark. To divide an application, a corresponding request shall be submitted and the state fee shall be paid.
2) a decision to register a trade mark and the applicant’s right to the published trade mark remain in force regardless of contestation or submission of observations.
(2) If an application is withdrawn in the manner specified in subsection (1) of this section or deemed to be partially or fully withdrawn in the cases specified in subsections 37 (3) and 38 (2) of this Act, processing of the respective part is terminated and the applicant is notified thereof. If processing is terminated, the application documents are not returned and the state fee is not refunded.
(3) An applicant may request that processing be resumed if the Patent Office terminated processing having deemed the application to be partially or fully withdrawn pursuant to subsection 37 (3) or 38 (2) of this Act.
(4) The Patent Office shall resume the processing if the applicant submits a written request, pays the state fee prescribed for the resumption of the processing and performs the acts for the non-performance whereof the application was deemed to be partially or fully withdrawn pursuant to subsection 37 (3) or 38 (2) of this Act. The Patent Office shall notify the applicant of the resumption of the processing.
(5) A request for the resumption of processing shall be filed, the state fee shall be paid and the acts specified in subsection (4) of this Act shall be performed within two months after learning about the termination of processing, but not later than within six months after the due date for the act which was not performed.
(11) On the basis of the request of a proprietor of a trade mark, a copy of an electronic certificate of registration shall be issued to the proprietor on paper. The copy shall be issued within twenty working days after submission of the request but not before the payment of the required state fee.
(4) A duplicate of a certificate of registration may be issued on the basis of a request of the proprietor of the trade mark. The duplicate is issued within twenty working days after the submission of the request but not before the payment of the required state fee.
(5) The list of data to be set out in a certificate of registration, the procedure for issue of the certificate of registration and, as necessary, the formal requirements shall be established by the regulation on trade marks.
(1) During one year prior to expiry of the term of legal protection of a trade mark, the proprietor of the trade mark may request the renewal of the term. A corresponding request shall be submitted to the Patent Office and the state fee shall be paid.
(11) The Patent Office shall notify the proprietor of a trade mark about the expiry of the term of legal protection of the trade mark at least six months before the expiry of the term. The Patent Office shall not be liable for a violation of the notification obligation.
(2) The proprietor of a trade mark may request restoration of the term for renewal of the legal protection of the trade mark within six months after expiry of the term of legal protection of the trade mark. A corresponding request shall be submitted to the Patent Office and the state fee for renewal of the term of legal protection and supplementary state fee for restoration of the term for renewal of legal protection shall be paid.
(21) At the request of the proprietor of a trade mark, the Patent Office restores the term for submission of the request set out in subsection (1) or (2) of this section within six months after the expiry of the term for submission of the request if the state fee required for the submission of the request is paid on time.
(3) Renewal of the term of legal protection of a trade mark enters into force as of the next day following the date of expiry of the existing term of registration.
(4) If the renewal of the term of legal protection of a trade mark is requested only with regard to part of the goods or services for which the trade mark is registered, the term of legal protection of the trade mark shall be renewed only with regard to these goods or services.
(2) A state fee shall be paid for making an entry on transfer of a trade mark.
(3) If the request is submitted by the new proprietor of the trade mark or the person to whom the rights conferred by the trade mark transfer, a document certifying the surrender or the transfer of the rights shall be appended to the request.
(3) If a request for performing an act related to trade mark is submitted on behalf of the proprietor of the trade mark by another person with the right of representation than the representative entered in the register, the person submitting the request shall be entered in the register as a representative replacing the former representative, unless explicitly indicated otherwise in the requestor unless the new representative and the representative entered in the register act through the same company.
(2) A state fee shall be paid for making an entry on division of the registration.
(2) An extract of the licence agreement which contains information necessary for making an entry regarding the parties to the agreement, nature, scope and term of the licence, shall be appended to a request for entry concerning a licence in the register. The extract need not be submitted if the request for making an entry concerning a license in the register has been signed both by the licensor and the licensee and the request contains the information necessary for making the entry.
(21) A state fee shall be paid for making an entry concerning a licence in the register.
(2) A notarised agreement for the establishment of the pledge shall be appended to the request and the state fee shall be paid.
(3) In order to have the conditions of an agreement for the establishment of the pledge amended, a request together with a notarised annex to the agreement for the establishment of the pledge, a court judgment or another document certifying the amendment shall be filed and the state fee shall be paid.
(4) In order to have the person of the pledgee changed, a request together with a notarised document certifying the change shall be filed and the state fee shall be paid.
(5) In order to have the ranking of a registered security over movables changed, a request together with the agreement between the persons the ranking of whose rights is changed shall be filed and the state fee shall be paid.
(1) If a request specified in §§ 50–506 is filed by a joint representative, a power of attorney shall be appended to the request. The power of attorney need not be appended if the request has been signed by all the principals or if a power of attorney filed with the Patent Office earlier for the performance of the same act is valid.
(2) A trade mark is deleted from the register before the prescribed time if a corresponding decision of the Board of Appeal or court judgment which has entered into force is submitted to the Patent Office or if the proprietor of the trade mark surrenders the trade mark.
(1) Prior to the publication of a notice of the decision concerning registration of a trade mark, it is permitted to release the following information from the register: representation of the trade mark including, as appropriate, description and generally recognised colour codes, registration application number, filing date of the registration application, information on priority, name of the applicant, name of a representative of the applicant, list of goods and services, and class numbers of the international classification.
(4) In order to have access to a registry file or to receive written information, copies or printouts from the register, a written request shall be submitted and the state fee shall be paid. Applicants and proprietors of trade marks have access to the registry files concerning their trade marks free of charge.
(5) In order to receive such a document certifying priority, which consists of the confirmation by the Patent Office and a copy of the application, the applicant or proprietor of the trade mark shall submit a written request and pay the state fee.
(1) Any person may file a request with the Board of Appeal against the proprietor of a trade mark for the exclusive right of the proprietor of the trade mark to be declared null and void if any circumstances specified in § 9 of this Act which preclude legal protection exist and existed also at the time when the decision to register the trade mark was made.
(11) An interested person may file a request with the Board of Appeal against the proprietor of a trade mark for the exclusive right of the proprietor of the trade mark to be declared null and void if the circumstances specified in § 10 of this Act which preclude legal protection exist and existed also at the time when the decision to register the trade mark was made.
(3) If a trade mark is registered in the name of the agent or representative of the proprietor of the trade mark without the proprietor’s consent, the proprietor of the trade mark has the right to file, within five years after becoming aware of the registration of the trade mark in the name of the agent or representative, a request with the Board of Appeal to claim the transfer of the trade mark to the proprietor. These grounds do not apply if the activities of the agent or representative are justified.
(4) The proprietor of an earlier trade mark is not entitled to claim declaration of nullity of the exclusive right of the proprietor of the trade mark to the extent that the proprietor of the earlier trade mark has not actually used the earlier registered trade mark during five years before the filing date of the application for the later trade mark or the date of priority or the filing date of a request for declaration of nullity of the exclusive right without good reason within the meaning of § 17 of this Act or, in case of an EU trade mark, within the meaning of Article 18 of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001 of the European Parliament and of the Council. The respective objection shall be filed with the Board of Appeal in the first written position or with a court in the statement of claim or in the first response to an action, and it is presumed to be justified.
3) the earlier trade mark which is relied on as a circumstance precluding legal protection under clause 10 (1) 3) of this Act, had not yet acquired reputation within the meaning of this provision.
(7) The grounds specified in clauses 9 (1) 2)–4) of this Act for declaration of nullity of the exclusive right of the proprietor of a trade mark do not apply with regard to trade marks that have acquired distinctive character as a result of use by the filing date of the request for declaration of nullity of the exclusive right.
(8) A participant in the processing concerning a request specified in subsection (1) or (11) of this section who is not satisfied with a decision of the Board of Appeal, may file an action, within the term provided for in subsection 64 (1) of the Principles of Legal Regulation of Industrial Property Act, against another participant in the processing to have the exclusive right of the proprietor of the trade mark to be declared null and void or to establish the lack of circumstances providing grounds therefor.
(9) A participant in the processing concerning a request specified in subsection (3) of this section who is not satisfied with a decision of the Board of Appeal, may file an action, within the term provided for in subsection 64 (1) of the Principles of Legal Regulation of Industrial Property Act, against another participant in the processing to claim transfer of the trade mark to themselves or to establish the lack of circumstances providing grounds therefor.
(2) The request specified in subsection (1) of this section cannot be filed on the basis of clauses (1) 3) and 4) of this section if the use of a registered trade mark within the meaning of § 17 of this Act after five years of non-use commences prior to filing of the request.
(3) The provisions of subsection (2) of this section do not apply if the use of the trade mark within the meaning of § 17 of this Act commences after the end of the period of five years and within three months prior to filing of the request and if the proprietor of the trade mark commenced preparations for the use of the trade mark only after the proprietor became aware of the intention of filing the request.
(4) A participant in the processing concerning the request specified in subsection (1) of this section who is not satisfied with a decision of the Board of Appeal, may file an action, within the term provided for in subsection 64 (1) of the Principles of Legal Regulation of Industrial Property Act, against another participant in the processing for the exclusive right of the proprietor of the trade mark to be declared extinguished or to establish the lack of circumstances providing grounds therefor.
(2) If an exclusive right is declared extinguished, the registration shall be deemed to be invalid as of the date of filing the request with the Board of Appeal or as of the date of filing the counterclaim with a court under subsection 59 (1) of this Act. The person filing the request or the plaintiff in the counterclaim may request that an exclusive right be declared extinguished as of the date of creation of the grounds for the request or counterclaim.
(3) The declaration of nullity of an exclusive right or declaration of an exclusive right extinguished is not the basis for the revocation of a decision of the Board of Appeal or a court judgment concerning the protection of exclusive right which entered into force and was executed prior to the making of the respective decision, or for the revocation of an act performed earlier.
(3) A licensee has the right to file an action for the protection of an exclusive right only with the consent of the proprietor of the trade mark. An exclusive licensee may file an action without the consent of the proprietor of the trade mark after sending a notice of an infringement of the exclusive right to the proprietor of the trade mark if the proprietor of the trade mark fails to file an action within a reasonable period of time.
(4) A licensee has the right to enter judicial proceedings initiated on the basis of an action for protection of the exclusive right of the proprietor of the trade mark, to be compensated for damage caused to the licensee.
(1) A person against whom the proprietor of a trade mark under legal protection in Estonia has filed an action for the protection of the exclusive right, may contest the exclusive right of the proprietor of the trade mark in a counterclaim.
(2) A person against whom offence proceedings based on the infringement of the exclusive right of the proprietor of a trade mark have been initiated, may file a request with the Board of Appeal against the proprietor of the trade mark for declaration of nullity of the latter’s exclusive right or for declaring the exclusive right extinguished on the grounds provided for in this Act. The offence proceedings shall be suspended for the period of the processing of the request.
(1) Appeals and actions related to the legal protection, validity and unlawful use of trade marks, petitions for the securing of an action and petitions for provisional legal protection, as well as other appeals and actions specified in this Act shall be heard by Harju County Court.
(1) A collective mark is a trade mark which is described as such when the mark is applied for and is capable of distinguishing the goods or services of the members of the association which is the proprietor of the mark from those of other undertakings.
(2) A certification mark is a trade mark which is described as such when the mark is applied for and is capable of distinguishing goods or services which are certified by the proprietor of the mark in respect of material, mode of manufacture of goods or performance of services, quality, accuracy or other characteristics from goods and services which are not so certified.
(1) Associations of manufacturers, producers, suppliers of services, or traders which have passive legal capacity, as well as legal persons in public law, may apply for collective marks.
(2) Any natural or legal person may apply for certification marks provided that such person does not carry on a business involving the supply of goods or services of the kind certified.
(1) An application for the registration of a collective mark or certification mark shall include the regulations of the collective mark or certification mark (hereinafter regulations).
(11) The regulations of a collective mark shall specify a list of the members of the association whose goods or services are designated by the collective mark, the terms of and procedure for becoming a member of the association and the conditions of use of the mark, including sanctions. The regulations of a collective mark which may designate the geographical origin of goods and services in the course of trade shall enable any person whose goods or services originate from the same geographical region to become a member of the association if they conform to other conditions set out in the regulations.
(12) The regulations of a certification mark shall specify the persons authorised to use the mark, the characteristics to be certified by the mark, how the certifying body is to test those characteristics and to supervise the use of the mark, as well as the conditions of use of the mark, including sanctions.
(13) The regulations shall not be contrary to public order or accepted principles of morality.
(14) Specified requirements for the regulations shall be established by the regulation on trade marks.
(3) If the regulations are amended, the amended regulations shall be submitted to the Patent Office. Amendments to regulations are effective as of the entry of the amendments in the register. Amendments to the regulations are entered in the register only if the amended regulations conform to the requirements specified in subsection 621 (1) of this Act.
4) there are no circumstances providing reason to believe that the public might be misled as regards the character or significance of the collective mark or certification mark, in particular if it is likely to be taken to be something other than a collective mark or certification mark.
(2) If the application for a collective mark or certification mark does not conform to the requirements specified in subsection (1) of this section, the Patent Office shall notify the applicant about it and shall set a term of at least two months for eliminating of deficiencies or giving explanations. The Patent Office shall renew this term pursuant to the provisions of subsection 42 (2) of this Act.
(3) If the applicant does not respond to the notification of the Patent Office specified in subsection (2) of this section, the application is deemed to be withdrawn. The applicant may request resumption of the procedure pursuant to the provisions of subsection 47 (3) of this Act.
(4) If the application does not conform to the requirements specified in subsection (1) of this section and the applicant does not eliminate the deficiencies within the term set by the Patent Office, the Patent Office shall make a decision to refuse to register the collective mark or certification mark.
(2) The use of a collective mark or certification mark by an unauthorised person is prohibited.
(3) A collective mark or certification mark may be used by any person entitled to use it under the regulations.
(4) A collective mark or certification mark may indicate the geographical origin of the goods or services designated with the mark. The proprietor of such collective mark or certification mark is not entitled to prohibit a third party from using in the course of trade signs or indications of geographical origin, provided that they use them in accordance with good business practice.
(5) The use of a collective mark or certification mark by a person entitled to the use constitutes the use of a trade mark within the meaning of § 17 of this Act.
(1) In addition to the grounds for declaration of nullity of the exclusive right of the proprietor of a trade mark as provided for in § 52 of this Act, taking into account the specifications deriving from subsection 63 (4), the exclusive right of the proprietor of a collective mark or certification mark shall be declared null and void if the collective mark or certification mark has not been registered in conformity with subsection 621 (1), unless the proprietor of the mark eliminates the nonconformity by amending the regulations within a term set by the Board of Appeal or a court.
4) the proprietor of a certification mark no longer conforms to the conditions provided for in subsection 611 (2) of this Act.
(1) A person entitled to use a collective mark or certification mark is entitled to file an action for the protection of the exclusive right only with the consent of the proprietor of the mark.
(2) A person entitled to use a collective mark or certification mark is entitled to enter judicial proceedings initiated on the basis of an action for the protection of the exclusive right of the proprietor of the mark, to be compensated for damage caused to the such person.
(3) The proprietor of a collective mark or certification mark is entitled to claim compensation for damage on behalf of the persons entitled to use the mark who have suffered damage due to unlawful use of the mark.
(8) The Patent Office shall establish and maintain the database of national processing of international registrations in which the Republic of Estonia is a designated Contracting Party.
(9) Information specified in subsection 511 (1) of this Act shall be released from the database of national processing of international registrations of trade marks.
(4) Upon conversion of an international registration designating the European Union into an international registration where the Republic of Estonia is a designated Contracting Party, or into a national application pursuant to Article 202 of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001 of the European Parliament and of the Council, the provisions of § 713 of this Act shall apply to the extent that is not regulated otherwise pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2017/1001 of the European Parliament and of the Council.
(1) The registration of an EU trade mark means the registration of a trade mark with the European Union Intellectual Property Office on the basis of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001 of the European Parliament and of the Council.
(2) The Patent Office is the central industrial property office within the meaning of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001 of the European Parliament and of the Council.
(1) Upon conversion of an EU trade mark application or EU trade mark into a national trade mark application pursuant to the provisions of Chapter XI Section 3 of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001 of the European Parliament and of the Council, the date of filing of an application for an EU trade mark or the date of priority of that application or trade mark or the seniority date is deemed to be the date of national filing.
(2) The seniority date is the date of filing of the application only where the basis for the seniority of an EU trade mark is a national trade mark registered in Estonia or a trade mark valid in Estonia pursuant to the Madrid Protocol.
2) in case of a person of a foreign state, the address of a commercial or industrial enterprise operating in a Member State of the European Economic Area and belonging to the person or the data of an authorised patent attorney.
(5) The Patent Office shall perform examination and process requests for conversion pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 4 of this Act, taking into account the specific provisions arising from Regulation (EU) 2017/1001 of the European Parliament and of the Council.
(6) The provisions of this Chapter apply also to the conversion of an EU collective mark application or collective mark into a national collective mark application.
If seniority of a trade mark valid in Estonia is claimed for a registered EU trade mark or an EU trade mark which has been filed for registration on the basis of an earlier registered trade mark or the Madrid Protocol pursuant to Article 39 or 40 of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001 of the European Parliament and of the Council, an action may be filed for the exclusive right of the proprietor of the earlier trade mark to be declared null and void or to be declared extinguished pursuant to this Act even if the earlier trade mark has been deleted from the register due to refusal to renew the term or is surrendered by the proprietor.
(1) Matters relating to the legal protection and validity of EU trade marks are heard by Harju County Court as the EU trade mark court of first instance.
(2) Appeals against the judgments of the EU trade mark court of first instance shall be reviewed by Tallinn Circuit Court as the EU trade mark court of second instance.
(1) A proprietor of an earlier trade mark or another earlier right may, under the conditions specified in Article 137 or 138 or Article 209 (5) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001 of the European Parliament and of the Council, file an action against a proprietor of the EU trade mark for the protection of an exclusive right pursuant to subsection 57 (1) of this Act for the prohibition on the use of the EU trade mark in Estonia.
(1) A state fee shall be paid in the amount provided by the State Fees Act for examination of an application, issue of information and performance of other acts in the cases specified in this Act.
(2) The procedure for the payment of a state fee and verification thereof shall be established by the regulation on trade marks.
(51) If the grounds for refusal to register a trade mark which were in force before 1 May 2004 were applicable while the Patent Office made a decision concerning registration of a trade mark, such grounds are applied also to the hearing of an action for declaration of nullity of the exclusive right of the proprietor of the trade mark.
(10) The provisions of this Act governing EU trade marks enter into force upon Estonia's accession to the European Union.
(12) A decision concerning an application processed by the Patent Office which was submitted after 1 May 2004 and regarding which no decision to register or refuse to register a trade mark was made before 1 April 2019, shall be subject to the grounds for refusal to register a trade mark which were in force at the time of filing the application, and the processing thereof shall be carried out pursuant to the procedural provisions valid as at the time of performing the procedural act.
(13) If the decision to register a trade mark was made before 1 April 2019, an interested person may contest the applicant’s right to the trade mark pursuant to subsection 41 (2) of this Act even if circumstances which preclude legal protection under subsection 9 (1) exist.
(14) Adjudication of an appeal or revocation application filed against a decision of the Patent Office and, in case a decision is annulled, making of a new decision regarding an application which was filed before 1 April 2019 and for which a decision was made after 1 May 2004, shall be subject to the grounds for refusal to register a trade mark which were in force at the time of filing the application, and the processing thereof shall be carried out pursuant to the procedural provisions valid as at the time of performing the procedural act.
(15) If the grounds for refusal to register a trade mark which were in force from 1 May 2004 to 31 March 2019 were applied to the making of a decision to register a trade mark, these grounds shall apply also to the review of a request for declaration of nullity of the exclusive right with regard to the respective trade mark and to the hearing of the action.
(16) Clause 10 (1) 9) of this Act shall apply also to the declaration of nullity of the exclusive right with regard to a trade mark containing a geographical indication which was filed for registration or which was registered before 10 January 2000. If the request is satisfied, the exclusive right with regard to the trade mark shall be declared null and void from 10 January 2000.
(17) The provisions of subsections 16 (21) and (22), 41 (21) and 52 (4) and (6) of this Act shall apply also to the processing of the Board of Appeal or judicial proceedings which commenced before 1 April 2019.
(18) The starting date of the term of legal protection of a registered trade mark shall be determined pursuant to the law valid at the time of filing an application for the registration of the trade mark.
(19) Guarantee marks shall be registered on the basis of applications filed before 1 April 2019 and these marks shall be subject to the law valid at the time of filing an application.
(20) In case of a decision to register a trade mark made before 1 April 2019, the state fee for the registration shall be paid pursuant to the law valid at the time of making the decision to register the trade mark.
(21) Proceedings concerning an action filed pursuant to this Act before 1 April 2019 shall be conducted by a court even in case mandatory pre-trial procedure in the Board of Appeal is prescribed for the settlement of the respective dispute starting from said date.
(22) Proceedings concerning an appeal, petition or action filed with a court pursuant to this Act before 1 April 2019 shall be conducted by a county court other than Harju County Court even in case Harju County Court has exclusive jurisdiction over adjudication of the respective appeal, petition or action starting from said date.
1 Directive (EU) 2015/2436 of the European Parliament and of the Council to approximate the laws of the Member States relating to trade marks (OJ L 336, 23.12.2015, p. 1–26).

References: § 28
 § 29
 § 39
 § 10
 § 17
 § 10
 § 9
 § 10
 § 17
 § 17
 § 17
 § 17
 § 52
 § 713