Trademarks are important for consumers to indicate the origin of products and services. They rightly protect the investment of trademark owners in their brands. However, trademark regulation should be balanced so as not to stand in the way of greater competition and consumer choice enabled, for example, by new Internet services.
E-commerce platforms as well as new forms of online advertising are of great value to consumers enabling them to compare and buy legal products and services from a greater variety of sources and outlets.
At the same time, online platforms are increasingly used by consumers to review, comment on and criticize products and brands leading to greater consumer empowerment and competition.
Trademark regulation should have the protection and empowerment of citizens and consumers as its key goals; rights conferred by a trademark should enhance and not reduce these goals.