DOBÂNDIREA DE CÃTRE MARCÃ A CARACTERULUI DISTINCTIV PRIN FOLOSIRE

This study deals with the issue of forced distinctiveness, a legal mechanism that is essential for the matter of the trade mark law, but which is not generally thoroughly treated in the Romanian specialized literature, despite the rich case law it generates. Forced distinctiveness refers to the situation in which a sign that is likely to be represented graphically, but which initially lacks a distinctive nature, acquires distinctiveness following its use. Throughout the study, the author examines the legal nature of forced distinctiveness, from the point of view of the Romanian legislation and the European regulations, with references to the essential case law in this matter. Thus, in the first part, the author reviews the signs likely to acquire distinctiveness by use and in the second part, he examines the conditions of forced distinctiveness, as well as the criteria on which the assessment of the competent authority is based.