Turkey has filed an appeal against the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) decision that annulled the “TurkAegean” trademark.
The appeal was submitted just days before the deadline, which officially expires on Monday. This move was widely anticipated as Turkey appears resolute in continuing its legal battle following the landmark ruling on January 10, which invalidated the trademark initially registered by Turkey’s Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA) on December 16, 2021.
The focus now shifts to Turkey’s justification for the appeal, which TGA must submit within the next two months, by May 10. Legal experts familiar with the case told Kathimerini that the EUIPO based its decision on only two of the five arguments presented by Greece, leaving three additional concerns, including broader geopolitical issues like Turkey’s expansionist “Blue Homeland” doctrine, unaddressed. Experts believe the initial ruling is well-founded, suggesting that Turkey’s chances of overturning the decision are slim.
The “TurkAegean” trademark was intended to cover six categories: advertising, media, transportation services, education, hospitality, and legal services. However, the EUIPO decision (C58927) cited multiple reasons for its annulment, primarily that the trademark carried strong geographical connotations conflicting with EU trademark laws. The ruling stated that “TurkAegean” would be interpreted by English-speaking EU consumers as referring to the “Turkish part of the Aegean,” which was considered misleading.
Furthermore, the EUIPO found the term lacked originality or distinctive characteristics. The accompanying red heart symbol was dismissed as a common advertising element lacking uniqueness.
The EUIPO also rejected Turkey’s claim that Greece’s challenge was an abuse of rights, instead affirming Greece’s legitimate interest in contesting the trademark. The ruling did not challenge Greece’s arguments that Turkey’s application violated public order, ethical principles, and was filed in bad faith.
The Greek Industrial Property Organization (OBI) was supported in this legal battle by the law firms Venieris & Alexandropoulou and Patrinos & Kilimiris.