气味商标法律保护困境与完善路径研究

Research on the Legal Protection Dilemma and Improvement Paths of Odor Trademarks

摘要: 气味商标作为非传统商标的新兴类型，以嗅觉感知为识别方式，具有不可视性、依靠嗅觉识别及持久记忆性等独特属性。自1990年美国“Clark案”确立气味可作为商标注册的法律先例以来，气味商标在国际范围内得到了一定程度的认可与发展。然而，我国现行商标法律体系对气味商标的保护仍存在明显空白。《商标法》第八条对商标客体的规定存在解释分歧，专项审查标准与实施细则付之阙如，与CPTPP等高标准国际经贸规则亦存在制度落差。与此同时，气味本身的动态性与不稳定性、个体嗅觉感知差异、侵权取证困难等实践层面的现实障碍，进一步加剧了气味商标保护的制度困境。本文在论证气味商标法律保护必要性与可行性的基础上，系统分析我国气味商标保护面临的制度性滞后与实践性难题，并从立法、审查、执法及与国际通行规则协调四个层面提出针对性的完善路径，以期为我国气味商标制度的构建提供参考。

Abstract: As an emerging type of non-traditional trademark, scent marks are recognized through olfactory perception and possess distinctive characteristics including invisibility, reliance on olfactory identification, and durable memorability. Since the landmark 1990 U.S. Clarke case established the legal precedent for registering scent as a trademark, scent marks have gained varying degrees of recognition internationally. However, significant gaps remain in China’s current trademark legal framework: the scope of registrable subject matter under Article 8 of the Trademark Law remains subject to interpretive dispute, specialized examination standards and implementing rules are absent, and a notable institutional gap exists between domestic law and high-standard international trade agreements such as the CPTPP. Based on demonstrating the necessity and feasibility of legal protection for scent trademarks, this paper systematically analyzes the institutional lag and practical challenges faced by scent trademark protection in China, and proposes targeted improvement paths from four aspects: legislation, examination, enforcement, and alignment with internationally accepted rules, aiming to provide references for the construction of China’s scent trademark system.