French Champagne Producer Defends its Right to Cristal Trademark in Russia

French champagne producer Louis Roederer can continue to sell its Cristal champagne in Russia after it won a decision against the Russian vodka manufacturer Soyuzplodoimport.

Although Roederer obtained an international registration for Cristal in 1949 and a national registration in Russia in 1995, in April 2009, the Chamber of Patent Disputes ruled that Roederer’ Cristal infringed on Soyuzplodoimport’s vodka brand Kristal, which was registered in Russia in 1974.

Soyuzplodoimport argued that Roederer’s Cristal trademark registration should be cancelled because it is confusingly similar to its Kristal brand.

The court ruled that Soyuzplodoimport had missed the period for challenging Cristal’s trademark registration, which is five years from the date the trademark registration was granted.

On October 26, 2009, the Moscow Arbitration Court reversed this ruling and affirmed the legal protection of Cristal in Russia.

For more information, please contact Jelena Jankovic at Balkan Regional Office.

Source: Marques