Trademark registration in Africa is complex due to fragmented systems, slow processes, and high costs. Businesses must navigate regional frameworks like ARIPO and OAPI, alongside individual country offices, each with unique rules. Enforcement is another hurdle, with limited resources and inconsistent laws across borders, making it harder to protect brands.
Thatchers wins TM dispute against supermarket chain Aldi
The UK Court of Appeal has found that budget supermarket chain Aldi infringed cider brewer Thatchers’ trademark for its lemon cider product, taking unfair advantage of the reputation of its trademark.In a closely watched case which will have a major impact on how brands battle lookalike products, the Court of Appeal ruled today that Aldi had intended the sign for its Taurus cloudy lemon cider to remind consumers of the Thatchers trademark.
The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit upheld a $56 million trial verdict in a trademark dispute, finding that the evidence supported the jury’s conclusion that a beer company’s rebranding of one its beers infringed a competitor’s trademark. Stone Brewing Co., LLC v. Molson Coors Beverage Company USA LLC, Case No. 23-3142 (9th Cir. Dec. 30, 2024) (Graber, Friedland, Bumatay, JJ.) (nonprecedential).
CIPO begins Pilot Project on Expungement Proceeding
Canada’s Trademarks Opposition Board has announced a new pilot project according to which it will send non-use cancellation notices to a randomly selected sample of registered trademark owners. The stated purpose of the project is to help ensure that the Canadian trademark register “accurately reflects trademarks that are in use, and in association with the goods and services listed in the registration.”
Greece began 2025 with a significant diplomatic and economic win as the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) overturned the trademark registration of “TurkAegean,” a tourism slogan secured by Turkey in December 2021. The EUIPO’s ruling, issued on January 9, invalidated the trademark across six categories – advertising, media, transportation services, education, hospitality, and legal services. The decision marks a milestone in a contentious cultural and geopolitical dispute between Greece and Turkey over the shared legacy of the Aegean Sea. The Turkish authorities now have two months to file an appeal and an additional four months to provide written justification if they choose to contest the ruling.