Chinese company reclaims brand in Germany
27 April 2009
Peter Ollier, Hong Kong
Beijing-based bean curd maker Wangzhihe has won the appeal of its trade mark infringement lawsuit against a German supermarket in Munich, but the closely-watched litigation has so far failed to persuade more Chinese companies to register their brands abroad
On Thursday last week the Bavarian Supreme Court dismissed the appeal of German supermarket Okai and found that its registration of the Wangzhihe mark amounted to unfair competition.
The case has been widely covered in China’s domestic media since the first instance decision was handed down in November 2007. Officials have sought to present the litigation as an example of why Chinese companies need to be more careful about how they protect their brands overseas.
"This case tells us that Chinese companies should attach great importance to protecting their trade marks overseas, as in many counties, trade marks are registered on a first-come-first-served basis," said Li Jianchang, vice-minister of State Administration for Industry and Commerce, according...
Only subscribers have complete access to Managing IP Magazine,
log in or
subscribe now.
Alternatively take a
free trial, giving you 48-hour access to Managing IP Magazine (some articles and surveys may be excluded).
Subscribe Now
This article is available to subscribers. Please click subscribe to read the rest of the article.
Subscribe
Take a free trial
Please take a free 48-hour trial to gain limited access. Some articles and surveys may be excluded.
Take a free trial