French Champagne Producer Loses Rights to Cristal Trademark in Russia

French champagne producer Louis Roederer cannot sell its Cristal champagne in Russia anymore, after losing a long legal battle against the Russian vodka manufacturer Soyuzplodoimport.

Last month the Ninth Commercial Court of Appeals upheld the March 2012 Moscow Commercial Court’s first instance ruling, which upheld Russian PTO’s 2008 decision to cancel the trademark’s legal protection in Russia.

In 2008, Soyuzplodoimport requested the cancellation of the Cristal trademark, arguing that it is confusingly similar to its vodka trademark Kristal.

On the other hand, Roederer argued that the goods were not similar and that there was no likelihood of confusion since vodka producers usually do not produce champagne.

Prepared by: Jelena Jankovic

For more information, please contact mail@petosevic.com.

Source: Russian Legal Information Agency (RAPSI)