Issue: № 3, 2026
Doi: https://doi.org/10.37634/efp.2026.3.10
The paper examines the interaction between the legal regimes of unfair competition and intellectual property (IP) protection, which has become increasingly significant in the context of digitalization and the globalization of markets. Although both regimes pursue common objectives – ensuring fair business practices, stimulating innovation, and protecting consumer interests–their practical interaction is often characterized by regulatory overlaps, conflicts of interpretation, and blurred boundaries of lawful market behavior. The paper argues that unfair competition law performs a corrective function within the IP system, particularly in cases where exclusive rights are exercised not to foster innovation but to restrict competitors’ access to the market. At the same time, excessive or unbalanced antitrust intervention may weaken incentives for creative activity, technological development, and investment, thereby adversely affecting long-term market dynamics. The paper analyzes typical forms of unfair competition related to the misuse of IP rights, including trade dress imitation, the use of confusingly similar trademarks, brand parasitism, and misleading commercial practices. Special attention is given to the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union, which has played a crucial role in shaping standards for determining the limits of lawful IP use in a competitive environment. The research identifies key overlap zones between intellectual property law and competition law that require further clarification in Ukrainian legislation, including the qualification of abusive IP practices, the lawful use of third-party designations, and institutional coordination between competition and IP authorities. In the context of Ukraine’s European integration, the paper emphasizes the importance of aligning national regulation with EU directives and CJEU jurisprudence in order to enhance legal certainty, coherence, and the effectiveness of enforcement.
Keywords : unfair competition, intellectual property, trademark, fair business practices, antitrust regulation, harmonization of legislation, European Union law, commercial and economic law mechanisms
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