From Voluntary Certification System to Private Trademark Protection an Evaluation of Turkish Environment Label in the Context of Industrial Property Law

İfakat Balık

Makale detayları

From Voluntary Certification System to Private Trademark Protection an Evaluation of Turkish Environment Label in the Context of Industrial Property Law

Yazarlar:

İfakat Balık

Yayıncı:

Erzincan Binali Yildirim University

Ana Başlıklar:

Hukuk (Diğer)

Dergi:

Erzincan Binali Yıldırım Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.29 Issue 1, pp.353-394

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

6/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001350347

pISSN:

2651-494X

Anahtar kelimeler:

Özet:

 The increasing effects of the climate crisis, the global problem of the twenty-first century, have made sustainability policies necessary for all countries. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the European Green Deal, and the Circular Economy Action Plan are the primary documents prepared to combat the global climate crisis. In line with the relevant documents, it is planned to expand the sustainable product market to reduce or even eliminate the adverse effects of the industry on the environment. However, the dramatic change in consumers purchasing preferences as sustainability has gained importance has led to the emergence of greenwashing practices that lead to the abuse of consumers while strengthening the understanding of green marketing on the one hand. At this point, the environment label system has emerged due to the need to verify the sustainable nature of products. The environment label system in Türkiye started to be implemented in 2018 within the framework of the Environment Label Regulation, which was prepared based on Regulation EC No 662010 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2009 on the EU Ecolabel. Republic of Türkiye, The Ministry of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change, as the owner and executor of the system, is responsible for coordinating the process of determining and verifying the environment label criteria based on product and service groups. The legal nature of the sign, which consists of the logo prepared by the Ministry and inspired by the colors of nature and the words Turkish Environment Label, is still controversial. In the doctrine, the quality of the mark as a trademark -especially a certification trademark- has been discussed, and it has been emphasized that it is a voluntary certification system. However, the fact that the Ministry is responsible for the issuance and verification of the label and that the purpose of protecting the environment comes to the forefront strengthens the nature of the environment label as an official control and warranty sign. These signs benefit from special trademark protection within Article 5.1.g of the Industrial Property Law No. 6769 framework and Article 6 of the 2nd Repeated of the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property. According to the relevant regulations, signs and hallmarks recognized by the Republic of Türkiye can be registered before the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office.

 The increasing effects of the climate crisis, the global problem of the twenty-first century, have made sustainability policies necessary for all countries. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the European Green Deal, and the Circular Economy Action Plan are the primary documents prepared to combat the global climate crisis. In line with the relevant documents, it is planned to expand the sustainable product market to reduce or even eliminate the adverse effects of the industry on the environment. However, the dramatic change in consumers purchasing preferences as sustainability has gained importance has led to the emergence of greenwashing practices that lead to the abuse of consumers while strengthening the understanding of green marketing on the one hand. At this point, the environment label system has emerged due to the need to verify the sustainable nature of products. The environment label system in Türkiye started to be implemented in 2018 within the framework of the Environment Label Regulation, which was prepared based on Regulation EC No 662010 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2009 on the EU Ecolabel. Republic of Türkiye, The Ministry of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change, as the owner and executor of the system, is responsible for coordinating the process of determining and verifying the environment label criteria based on product and service groups. The legal nature of the sign, which consists of the logo prepared by the Ministry and inspired by the colors of nature and the words Turkish Environment Label, is still controversial. In the doctrine, the quality of the mark as a trademark -especially a certification trademark- has been discussed, and it has been emphasized that it is a voluntary certification system. However, the fact that the Ministry is responsible for the issuance and verification of the label and that the purpose of protecting the environment comes to the forefront strengthens the nature of the environment label as an official control and warranty sign. These signs benefit from special trademark protection within Article 5.1.g of the Industrial Property Law No. 6769 framework and Article 6 of the 2nd Repeated of the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property. According to the relevant regulations, signs and hallmarks recognized by the Republic of Türkiye can be registered before the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office.

 The increasing effects of the climate crisis, the global problem of the twenty-first century, have made sustainability policies necessary for all countries. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the European Green Deal, and the Circular Economy Action Plan are the primary documents prepared to combat the global climate crisis. In line with the relevant documents, it is planned to expand the sustainable product market to reduce or even eliminate the adverse effects of the industry on the environment. However, the dramatic change in consumers purchasing preferences as sustainability has gained importance has led to the emergence of greenwashing practices that lead to the abuse of consumers while strengthening the understanding of green marketing on the one hand. At this point, the environment label system has emerged due to the need to verify the sustainable nature of products. The environment label system in Türkiye started to be implemented in 2018 within the framework of the Environment Label Regulation, which was prepared based on Regulation EC No 662010 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2009 on the EU Ecolabel. Republic of Türkiye, The Ministry of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change, as the owner and executor of the system, is responsible for coordinating the process of determining and verifying the environment label criteria based on product and service groups. The legal nature of the sign, which consists of the logo prepared by the Ministry and inspired by the colors of nature and the words Turkish Environment Label, is still controversial. In the doctrine, the quality of the mark as a trademark -especially a certification trademark- has been discussed, and it has been emphasized that it is a voluntary certification system. However, the fact that the Ministry is responsible for the issuance and verification of the label and that the purpose of protecting the environment comes to the forefront strengthens the nature of the environment label as an official control and warranty sign. These signs benefit from special trademark protection within Article 5.1.g of the Industrial Property Law No. 6769 framework and Article 6 of the 2nd Repeated of the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property. According to the relevant regulations, signs and hallmarks recognized by the Republic of Türkiye can be registered before the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office.

 Yirmi birinci yüzyılın küresel sorunu iklim krizinin artan etkileri, sürdürülebilirlik politikalarını tüm ülkeler için bir zorunluluğa dönüştürmüştür. 2030 Sürdürülebilir Kalkınma Gündemi, Avrupa Yeşil Mutabakatı ve Döngüsel Ekonomi Eylem Planı küresel iklim kriziyle topyekûn mücadele amacı sonucu hazırlanan temel belgelerdir. İlgili belgeler doğrultusunda sanayinin çevreye olumsuz etkilerini azaltmak hatta sıfırlamak üzere sürdürülebilir ürün pazarının genişletilmesi planlanmıştır. Ancak sürdürülebilirliğin önem kazanmasıyla tüketicilerin satın alma tercihlerinde yaşanan çarpıcı değişim bir taraftan yeşil pazarlama anlayışını güçlendirirken diğer taraftan tüketicilerin istismarına yol açan yeşil aklama uygulamalarının doğmasına neden olmuştur. İşte bu noktada çevre etiketi sistemi, ürünlerin sürdürülebilir niteliğinin doğrulanması ihtiyacı sonucu ortaya çıkmıştır. Türkiyede çevre etiketi sistemi, 25 Kasım 2009 tarih ve 662010 sayılı AB Eko-Etiketi Hakkında Tüzük esas alınarak hazırlanan Çevre Etiketi Yönetmeliği hükümleri çerçevesinde 2018 yılında uygulanmaya başlamıştır. Ürün ve hizmet grupları temelinde çevre etiketi kriterlerini belirleme ve doğrulama işlemlerinin koordinasyonunda, sistemin sahibi ve yürütücüsü sıfatıyla Çevre, Şehircilik ve İklim Değişikliği Bakanlığı görevlidir. Bakanlık tarafından doğanın renklerinden ilhamla hazırlanmış logo ile Türkiye Çevre Etiketi sözcüklerinden oluşan işaretin hukuki niteliği ise hâlen tartışmalıdır. Öğretide işaretin marka -özellikle garanti markası- niteliği tartışılmış, gönüllü bir sertifika sistemi olduğu vurgulanmıştır. Ancak etiketin verilmesinde ve doğrulama işlemlerinde Bakanlığın görevli olması, çevreyi koruma amacının ön plana çıkması, çevre etiketinin resmî kontrol ve garanti işareti niteliğini güçlendirmektedir. Bu işaretler, 6769 sayılı Sınai Mülkiyet Kanunu madde 5.1.g atfıyla Sınai Mülkiyetin Korunmasına İlişkin Paris Sözleşmesi 2. mükerrer madde 6 çerçevesinde özel marka korumasından yararlanmaktadır. Zira ilgili düzenlemeler uyarınca Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Devleti tarafından kabul edilen işaret ve damgaların Türk Patent ve Marka Kurumu nezdinde tescili mümkündür.

Makale detayları

From Voluntary Certification System to Private Trademark Protection an Evaluation of Turkish Environment Label in the Context of Industrial Property Law

Yazarlar:

İfakat Balık

Yayıncı:

Erzincan Binali Yildirim University

Ana Başlıklar:

Hukuk (Diğer)

Dergi:

Erzincan Binali Yıldırım Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.29 Issue 1, pp.353-394

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

6/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001350347

pISSN:

2651-494X

“Turkish Environment Label”

sustainable product

product with environment label

environment label

standard signs

official control and warranty signs

collective mark and certification mark.“Türkiye Çevre Etiketi”

sürdürülebilir ürün

çevre etiketine sahip ürün

çevre etiketi

standart işaretleri

resmî kontrol ve garanti işaretleri

ortak marka ve garanti markası.

Sayı

Makale detayları

Yazarlar: İfakat Balık

Yayıncı: Erzincan Binali Yildirim University

Ana Başlıklar: Hukuk (Diğer)

Dergi: Erzincan Binali Yıldırım Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.29 Issue 1, pp.353-394

Belge Tipi: Makale

Yayın Tarihi: 6/2025

Belge Dili: Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.): 2001350347

pISSN: 2651-494X

Sayı

Yazarlar:

İfakat Balık

Yayıncı:

Erzincan Binali Yildirim University

Ana Başlıklar:

Hukuk (Diğer)

Dergi:

Erzincan Binali Yıldırım Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.29 Issue 1, pp.353-394

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

6/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001350347

pISSN:

2651-494X