EU revokes controversial ‘Turkaegean’ trademark following Greek objections

The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) has officially cancelled the contentious “Turkaegean” trademark, registered successful December 2021 by Turkey’s Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA). The decision, announced connected Friday, is simply a important win for Greece, which had strongly opposed the trademark since its inception.

The “Turkaegean” trademark was filed by the TGA arsenic portion of a run to beforehand Turkey’s western coastal regions, blending “Turk” with “Aegean.” While the run aimed to boost tourism, critics viewed the sanction arsenic an effort to situation the planetary relation of the Aegean Sea with Greece.

The Greek authorities and the Hellenic Industrial Property Organisation (OBI) instantly opposed the trademark, citing it arsenic not lone commercially harmful to Greek interests but besides indicative of Turkey’s alleged geopolitical revisionism.

EUIPO’s decision

The EUIPO determination (C58927) efficaciously nullifies Turkey’s quality to use the “Turkaegean” trademark within the EU market, derailing the promotional run successful Europe. The ruling followed a ceremonial petition by Greece’s improvement ministry and OBI, which argued that the trademark undermined Greece’s taste and economical interests, AMNA reported.

Greek Development Minister Takis Theodorikakos welcomed the decision, emphasising the government’s committedness to defending the nation’s rights.

“We will ever asseverate Greece’s interests by utilizing each ineligible avenue available,” Theodorikakos stated.

The determination besides highlights the efforts of the Mitsotakis government, which archetypal filed a petition to revoke the trademark successful February 2023. Initially, the Greek authorities faced disapproval from absorption parties for allegedly failing to enactment decisively when the trademark was archetypal registered successful 2021.

Turkey’s tourism agency, however, retains the enactment to entreaty the EUIPO ruling by submitting a written effect and counterarguments.