News

• AfD Loses EU Trademark Rights Amid Rising Far-Right Momentum in Germany

  
  
  
  Germany’s far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) suffered a legal setback after the EU Intellectual Property Office revoked its EU trademarks for 'AfD' and its logo, ruling that the party had failed to demonstrate genuine commercial use beyond internal political activities. The decision follows detailed proceedings showing that AfD-branded merchandise — from mugs and USB sticks to campaign flyers — was mainly distributed within the party’s network rather than sold in open commerce, undermining its claim to maintain the marks. The EUIPO found that the AfD’s use of the logo served political, not commercial, purposes and thus could not justify continued trademark protection across dozens of goods and services classes.
  
  

  
  

  13/10/2025

• Prada Challenges 'PADA' Trademark in U.S. Dispute Over Tech and Pet Products

  
  
  
  Italian luxury powerhouse Prada has lodged an opposition in the United States against Hangzhou Chongri Technology’s attempt to register the trademark “PADA,” citing its similarity to the Prada name and potential to confuse consumers. The contested mark covers a diverse range of goods — from GPS trackers and wireless chargers to pet collars and imitation leather — raising concerns over brand dilution in both the technology and lifestyle sectors. Founded in Milan in 1913, Prada has evolved into one of the world’s most influential fashion houses, with global sales reaching €4.8 billion in 2024 and more than 630 boutiques worldwide. Despite pandemic-era volatility, the company has consolidated its dominance in leather goods and luxury apparel, while its sister brand Miu Miu has surged in cultural relevance and sales, becoming one of Europe’s most talked-about labels. The latest filing underscores Prada’s vigilance in policing its intellectual property as it defends its century-old name in a rapidly expanding marketplace where fashion increasingly converges with technology.
  
  

  
  

  09/10/2025

• EUIPO Curtails Meta Platforms’ Rights to 'META4' Trademark

  
  
  
  The EUIPO has partially revoked Meta Platforms’ European trademark 'META4' following a successful challenge by Barcelona-based Meta Engineering S.A., concluding that the mark has not been effectively used across all registered classes. While Meta Platforms managed to retain rights over services related to human resources and payroll management in Class 35, the office stripped protection for publications, advertising, and telecommunications categories, citing insufficient evidence of commercial use. The ruling traced the mark’s convoluted ownership — from Spain’s Meta4 Spain S.A. to France’s Cegid Group, and finally to Meta Platforms after Facebook’s 2021 rebrand — determining that the brand had been gradually phased out in favour of 'Cegid' by 202. EUIPO judges found that while historical records and software documentation confirmed some business continuity, much of the submitted material fell outside the relevant five-year window or lacked clear proof of market presence. As a result, the 'META4' name will remain valid only for its core HR-software services, underscoring the limits of legacy brand acquisitions in bolstering Meta’s European trademark defences.
  
  

  
  

  07/10/2025