How Greek arguments convinced the EU to cancel the “Turkaegean” trademark

It took astir 2 years since the Ministry of Development, nether then-minister Adonis Georgiadis, filed an entreaty for yesterday’s determination by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) to annul the “Turkaegean” trademark.

The bureau yet accepted the Greek arguments, and present the Turkish trademark cannot beryllium utilized connected European ungraded for immoderate of the six registered categories (advertising, media, proscription services, education, hospitality, and ineligible services) for which it had been claimed by the Turkish organization. This is simply a important stroke to the neighboring state arsenic its promotional campaigns by the Turkish Organization are actively progressing.

Turkish authorities present person 2 months to entreaty the EUIPO determination and 4 months to taxable a written justification for doing so.

Similar appeals are ongoing successful different large planetary markets wherever Turkey uses the word “Turkaegean” successful its tourism campaigns, specified arsenic the United States.

In its 19-page ruling, the EUIPO focuses chiefly connected 3 points for the cancellation of the “Turkaegean” trademark portion rejecting Turkey’s arguments.

First, the trademark contains powerfully geographical indications, which struggle with EU regulations for trademark registration. Additionally, the disputed trademark lacked a distinctive quality oregon uniqueness and did not convey thing novel. The accompanying reddish bosom awesome is simply a communal advertizing signifier that fails to gully user attraction beyond the “Turkaegean” word itself.

Beyond the strict trademark regulations connected which the EUIPO determination rests, determination are besides ‘political messages’ embedded successful the ruling. These pertain chiefly to the EUIPO’s stance connected the arguments presented by the Greek Ministry of Development, represented by the ineligible firms Venieri – Alexandropoulou and Patrinou – Kilimiri, and the Turkish Tourism Organization.

The Greek broadside argued that the Turkish determination violated nationalist bid and acceptable principles of morality and was filed successful atrocious faith. On the different hand, the Turkish broadside claimed that Greece’s entreaty constituted an maltreatment of rights and that our state was trying to monopolize tourism successful the Aegean region.

Commenting connected the decision, the Minister of Development, Takis Theodorikakos, stated:
“Greece, nether Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ government, is beardown connected the planetary signifier and defends its nationalist interests decisively and effectively, adjacent successful the commercialized domain. We assertion what is rightfully ours with each our spot and each ineligible means. That’s however we achieved this vindication by challenging the European trademark ‘Turkaegean.’”

Former Minister Adonis Georgiadis besides expressed his restitution with the EUIPO’s determination to judge Greece’s annulment petition with an extended societal media post, stating that helium present feels vindicated by the developments.

A First “Victory” successful the U.S.

At the aforesaid time, the conflict to cancel the trademark successful different large planetary markets continues. Just days ago, determination was a important improvement successful the U.S., wherever the U.S. Trademark Office requested that the Turkish Tourism Development Agency (TGA) supply further clarification regarding the reasons and objectives down selecting the word “Turkaegean” to beforehand tourism successful Turkey.

Over the past 2 years, the Greek broadside has submitted a broad dossier to beryllium that Turkey’s effort to registry the “Turkaegean” trademark is simply a determination driven by geopolitical motives.

It is peculiarly important for Greece that determination remains the anticipation of escalating the entreaty into a civilian suit successful national tribunal to analyse the “underlying motives” down adopting the word “Turkaegean.”