MOSCOW, July 6 – RAPSI, Alyona Yegorova. The Commercial Court of Appeals has upheld the decision of the Moscow Commercial Court to overrule the federal patent agency’s refusal to register the “Russian Alcohol” trademark, the Russian Legal Information Agency (RAPSI) reports from the courtroom.

On March 14, the Moscow Commercial Court held in favor of Russian Alcohol’s appeal against the federal patent agency’s refusal to register its “Russian Alcohol” trademark.

The Russian Alcohol group sought registration of the “Russian Alcohol” and “Russkiy Alkogol” (which also translates to “Russian Alcohol”) trademarks.

The Federal Service for Intellectual Property, Patents and Trademarks concluded that the aforementioned trademarks are confusingly similar to the “Russkaya” and “Russkaya Vodka” trademarks, as well as to the identity of  Russkaya Vodka’s country of origin - Russia.

Eight organizations, each claiming rights to the trademarks, acted as third parties in the dispute. Soyuzplodoimport was one of these third party companies.

Russian Alcohol is one of Russia’s largest producers of strong alcoholic beverages, and is fully owned by CEDC, a Polish company.