Does ownership of a trademark also determine the right of priority over an identical or similar domain name?

Globalizacija ir interneto plėtra bei visuotinis prieinamumas paskatino prekių ženklo savininko ir domeno turėtojo (kai tai nėra tie patys asmenys) tarpusavio nesutarimus, dažnai peraugančius į teisminius ginčus dėl tapataus ar panašaus prekių ženklą registruoto domeno perdavimo prekės ženklo savininkui. Teismams sudėtinga nustatyti prekių ženklų savininkų ir domenų turėtojų teisių apimtį ir išsiaiškinti kada nuosavybės teisė į prekių ženklą lemia ir pirmumo teisę tapataus ar panašaus domeno atžvilgiu, o kada lemiamą reikšmę turi domeno teisinė registracija ir jo turėtojo sąžiningumas. Šiuo tyrimu siekta išsiaiškinti ar nuosavybės teisė į prekių ženklą lemia ir pirmumo teisę tapataus ar panašaus domeno atžvilgiu. Tyrimas atskleidė, kad nors registruoto prekių ženklo savininkas, dėl jam suteikiamų plačios apimties teisių turi didelę atsvarą prieš domeno turėtoją, tačiau iš teismų praktikos matyti, kad jo nuosavybės teisių apsauga nėra absoliuti ir savaime nelemia pirmumo teisės į tapatų ar panašų domeną. Jei domeno turėtojas elgiasi sąžiningai, net ir tapatus, ar panašus domenas negali būti pripažįstamas pažeidžiančiu prekių ženklo savininko nuosavybės teises. Tik konstatavus, jog registruotas domeno vardas pažeidžia kito asmens teises (nesąžiningu elgesiu) – toks domeno vardas yra neatlygintinai perduodamas prekių ženklo savininkui. Globalisation and the development of the internet and universal accessibility have led to a conflict between the trademark owner and the domain holder (where they are not the same entities), often evolving into litigation on the transfer of a registered domain to the trademark owner, if the domain is identical or similar to a trademark. Bearing in mind that the trademark owner has exclusive rights to the trademark (including the right to prohibit the use of an identical or similar symbol in the context of commercial activities), while the domain holder is the first to register the domain, the question arises: whose rights should be prioritised – those of trademark owners or those of registered domain holders? Are the rights of any of these entities broader and provide for superior legal protection? Due to their similarity, the relationship between a domain name and a trademark is a sensitive issue. Both the domain and the trademark help consumers distinguish the goods or services of one commercial entity from the goods or services offered by another entity; therefore, a consumer often identifies the domain as the trademark. However, the similarity between the trademark and the domain also leads to more complex matters that arise in the course of litigation. It is difficult for the courts to determine the extent of the rights of trademark owners and domain holders or to clarify the cases when the ownership of a trademark also leads to the right of priority over an identical or similar domain, and when the legal registration of a domain and its holder’s integrity are decisive. The goal of this research is to determine whether the ownership of a trademark leads to the right of priority over an identical or similar domain. The following objectives are set: to reveal the concept of trademarks and domains; to analyse the legal status of trademarks and domains; to identify the rights of trademark owners and domain holders; to analyse the possibility for trademark owners to apply precedence over domain holders. The following research methods are used: document analysis, logical-analytical approach, systematic approach, comparison and generalisation. The research hypothesises that the ownership of a trademark does not per se result in the priority right to an identical or similar domain. This hypothesis has been confirmed. The research has revealed that trademarks are combined elements that have a certain distinctiveness and are designed to identify and distinguish goods and services; they create a relationship of trust and responsibility between a manufacturer, a service provider, and a consumer. The essence of trademarks is to differentiate goods and services. From 2019, the concept of trademarks was expanded. From now on, not only graphically depicted symbols are considered as trademarks, but also sounds, smells, melodies, positional and moving signs, as well as multimedia and other elements. A domain is an intangible object, a web address, and a unique website name. The domain enables the existence of a website and makes it possible for users to find it. Thus, it can be said that the domain also has the function of trademark recognition. Trademarks are the results of intellectual (industrial) creations, to which exclusive rights are provided by intellectual property. Trademarks are a precious form of industrial property. The legal status of a domain is a complex and multifaceted category, so there can be no unified approach. The legal status of a domain should be decided on a case-by-case basis. If a domain name is not related to distinguishing goods or services but provides specific information on the internet, it can be denominated as an object under the specific legal regime. Moreover, if a domain is associated with trademarks, it will not be the original subject of intellectual property, but rather a secondary source that cannot exist without the trademark, which is the primary source. A service contract concluded between the domain holder, and the registrar becomes binding in terms of legal relations. However, they do not apply to the full extent. Trademark legislation provides for a comprehensive catalogue of the rights of registered trademark owners, which is practically identical in all documents. The essential right of the registered trademark owners is their exclusive right to the trademark in respect of certain (identical or similar) goods and services, which enables the trademark owners to rely on the symbol as a competitive advantage. The rights of the domain holder arise based on the contract. The domain holder is entitled to manage, dispose of and use the domain name. Domain registration alone is not the basis for an exclusive right of the domain owner to the domain. Only an honest domain holder acquires proprietary rights. The law does not directly establish the right of the (honest) domain holder to require the prohibition of the use of a symbol that is identical with or similar to the domain name. This is a fundamental difference between the rights of trademark owners and domain holders. Although the owner of a registered trademark enjoys a significant superiority over the domain holder because of his wide-ranging rights, the case-law shows that the protection of his property rights is not absolute and does not per se imply the right to an identical or similar domain. If the domain holder acts in good faith, even an identical or similar domain cannot be recognised as infringing the trademark owner’s property rights. In this case, the domain holder should not be obliged to transfer the domain. Only after having established that the registered domain name violates the rights of another entity (due to dishonest behaviour), that domain name is provided free of charge to the entity whose rights are violated. However, based solely on a previous domain name registration, domain holders have less chance of protecting their rights, and it is, therefore, necessary to consider the possibility to register a domain name as a trademark.Teisės fakulteta