<![CDATA[Trademark disputes are a natural consequence in commercial practice when similarities or identical signs arise that may infringe upon the exclusive rights of registered trademark holders. Based on Decision No. 19/Pdt.Sus-HKI/Merek/2025/PN Niaga Jkt.Pst, the Plaintiff held exclusive rights over the “M6” trademark, duly registered since 2017. The application of the first to file principle, as stipulated in Article 1(5) and Article 83 of Law No. 20 of 2016 on Trademarks and Geographical Indications, provides legal certainty for registered trademark owners by affirming that the party who first registers a trademark obtains full protection from the state, thereby rendering any subsequent unauthorized use of similar signs as a legal infringement. In the case of BYD M6, although its registration was still under examination by the Directorate General of Intellectual Property (DGIP), the dominant element “M6” was identical to the Plaintiff’s registered mark, and thus the Defendant’s act of distributing products under the “M6” designation potentially infringed upon the Plaintiff’s exclusive rights. BYD’s distribution of goods bearing the “M6” mark prior to obtaining legal recognition from DGIP raises serious concerns regarding the implementation of the first to file principle. The court, however, rejected the claim on the procedural ground of Plurium Litis Consortium (lack of parties), despite the substantive relevance of the first to file doctrine as the primary basis for trademark protection. This outcome highlights the tension between procedural doctrines and substantive protection of exclusive rights, which risks undermining legal certainty and the effectiveness of the first to file principle in Indonesian trademark adjudication, thereby underscoring the need for a more progressive interpretation to ensure that substantive rights are not diminished by procedural barriers and that full protection is consistently afforded to legitimate trademark owners.Keywords: First to File Principle, Well-Known Trademark, Trademark Dispute, BMW, BYD]]>
