GERMANY VOLKSWAGEN SPAIN TRADEMARK DISPUTE ECJ CASE
February 1st, 2006
BY KEITH NUTHALL
VOLKSWAGEN has won a phyrric victory at the European Court of Justice (ECJ), which has granted it a limited right to use the trademark Variant in Spain, in the teeth of opposition from the country's Nacional Motor SA. VW wanted to use the name in Spain to sell engines and repair services, as well as autos. However, Nacional, of Martorelles, opposed this registration, claiming it could be confused with its marks Derbivariant, Derbi Variant, and Variantderbi, which it mainly used in Spain to sell motorcycles and related accessories. Its stance was ...
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