The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) has cancelled the trademark "TurkAegean".
HDN Newsroom
The "TurkAegean" trademark had been registered for use within the EU by the Turkish Tourism Organization since December 16, 2021 and with this important victory for Greece at economic and diplomatic level, it begins in 2025, following "coordinated actions by the Ministry of Development and the Industrial Property Organization (OBI)".
Today's decision is a "vindication of the Greek positions". In a relevant announcement, it is noted that in February 2023, "under Minister Adonis Georgiadis, an application for annulment was filed by the Hellenic Republic, with the handling of the case by OBI for the infringement of the Turkish organization's trademark. The result of these actions is today's decision." "We claim our right with all our strength and by every legal means. This is how we reached vindication with the infringement of the European trademark ''Turkaegean''", stressed the Minister of Development, Takis Theodorikakos.
The ruling by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) noted that Turkey "has not demonstrated that the mark in question had acquired distinct character either before the date of filing or before the date of filing of the application for annulment. In the light of the foregoing, the application for annulment is fully successful, and the mark in question has been declared invalid in respect of all the services at issue'.
The decision presents both sides. The word element of the disputed mark includes two parts: ''TURK'' (short for ''Turkey'', ''Turkish'') and ''AEGEAN'', which denotes anything concerning or related to the Aegean Sea or the Aegean islands. In this respect, TURKAEGEAN means "the part of the Aegean that belongs to Turkey" or "the Turkish Aegean". The symbol of the heart with a typical red color is a commercial shape, conveying a message of praise. The symbol usually represents the meaning of love. The blue lines around serve a purely decorative function, enhancing the laudatory frame."
On the other hand, Turkey argues that "the applicant is abusing the procedure, violating the principles of competition fairness, as he attempts to monopolize tourism in a specific geographical area. It is imperative that the process does not result in the restriction of competition, especially in the context of tourism activities, which Greece seeks to illegally monopolize."
