Iceland wins back right to use its name
Nordic country Iceland has won back the right to use its name in promotions after a long and bitter trademark dispute with a UK-based supermarket chain of the same name.
According to a report on the ABC, the European Union Intellectual Property Office ruled that the supermarket chain could not register a trademark for the sole use of the word ‘Iceland’ within the European Union.
The supermarket chain secured a trademark for the word in 2014, which triggered a five-year dispute with the country.
Bizarrely, the trademark prevented businesses from the Nordic country identifying their products as being Icelandic or originating in Iceland.
Iceland Foreign Minister Gudlaugur Thor Thordarson said he welcomed the ruling.
"It defies common sense that a foreign company can stake a claim to the name of a sovereign nation as was done [in this case]," he remarked.
Iceland Foods Ltd released a statement saying it regretted the decision and was planning to appeal.
Is this the most bizarre trademark case you can imagine?
Great decision IMO.
Bizarrely, the trademark prevented businesses from the Nordic country identifying their products as being Icelandic or originating in Iceland. Iceland Foreign Minister Gudlaugur Thor Thordarson said he welcomed the ruling.
No wonder Iceland is happy.
Hard to imagine if someone trademarked "Australia" and we couldn't identify our products as as being Australian or originating in Australia.
Go the real Iceland!!