The Limited Times

Now you can see non-English news...

The Spaniards can toast with "champanillo"

2021-05-02T22:52:12.227Z


Close to the protected appellation “Champagne”, the reference is not illegal according to the Court of Justice of the European Union.


We know how careful champagne producers are about the use of their precious appellation of origin throughout the world.

Recently, they obtained a legal ban on a Swiss village called Champagne from using its name to promote its wines.

This time, they found it stronger than them, in Spain.

Read also:

Our list of champagnes at the best value for money

The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has, provisionally, ruled in favor of insolent Iberian restaurateurs to use the name “champanillo” to designate a type of establishment widespread in Catalonia, tapas bars.

Initially, the Spanish Patent and Trademark Office (OEPM) refused to register this term as a trademark for restaurants.

This did not prevent the Interprofessional Committee for Champagne wines from being dismissed at first instance.

Seizure on appeal, a Barcelona court questioned the CJEU.

Read also:

Champagne according to Jay-Z

And, surprise, the lawyer general of the court of Luxembourg answered, Thursday, in the direction of the Spanish bistrotiers.

According to him, EU law

"protects products with an appellation of origin against any practice of commercial free-riding, whether it relates to goods or services".

However, adds the lawyer,

"in the present case, the suffix 'illo' distinguishes, visually and phonetically, the term 'champanillo' from other compared terms".

Its opinion does not commit the final decision of the European Court, which will only be rendered in several weeks.

But it is a hard blow for the Champenois.

Source: lefigaro

All news articles on 2021-05-02

You may like

Trends 24h

Latest

© Communities 2019 - Privacy

The information on this site is from external sources that are not under our control.
The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.