Italy: An Italian court has ruled in Anheuser-Busch's favor
Anheuser-Busch Cos., the largest US brewer, has blocked the right of its Czech rival Budejovicky Budvar to use three registered trademarks, which used the Budweiser, Budbrau and Budweiser names in Italy, Newswire Europe communicated on June 3.
The Court of Rome has ruled in favour of Anheuser-Busch, ordering the cancellation of two Budweiser Budbrau trademarks and one Budweiser Budvar trademark registered in Italy and held by Czech brewer Budejovicky Budvar. The ruling ordered the cancellation of two Budweiser Budbrau trademarks and one Budweiser Budvar trademark. While subject to appeal, the Court's decision is effective immediately.
State-owned Czech brewer Budvar has the right of appeal, but the court's decision is effective immediately.
This judgment is consistent with the Italian Supreme Court's ruling in September 2002 ordering Budejovicky Budvar to stop use of "Budweiser" and "Bud" as trademarks for its beer.
"This is another noteworthy decision in favor of Anheuser-Busch and one that could continue setting a strong precedent for other cases throughout Europe," said Steve Burrows, chief executive officer and president, Anheuser-Busch International, Inc. "By rejecting another set of Budejovicky Budvar's trademarks, the Court of Rome has solidified our exclusive use of 'Bud' and 'Budweiser' in Italy."
The decision by the Italian court follows closely on the heels of a ruling earlier this year when a World Trade Organization dispute settlement panel concluded that prior trademarks generally supercede later geographic indications. That decision thereby halted Budejovicky Budvar's efforts to rely on the registration of Budejovicky Pivo to justify its use of "Budweiser" throughout the European Union.
Anheuser-Busch has national registrations for "Budweiser" or "Bud" in 20 of 25 European Union countries and sells 31 percent of its foreign beer volume in the European region.
The two brewers have fought trademark battles on a country-by-country basis for decades, with the US company successfully blocking Budvar from using the Budweiser name in countries including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Denmark, Finland, New Zealand and Spain.
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