MOSCOW, March 2 - RAPSI. International tobacco company Philip Morris went to court due to the patent watchdog's refusal to register its trademark because of its similarity with a trademark of another tobacco giant BAT Russia.

The Moscow Commercial Court set March 27 for the case hearing.

Philip Morris applied for the Optima Zolotaya trademark registration. However the Federal Service for Intellectual Property, Patents and Trademarks ruled that it is confusingly similar to the trademarks, earlier registered by the British American Tobacco - Java.

Phillip Morris International has representative offices in more than 160 countries. Its headquarters is located in New York. The company owns such brands as Marlboro, L&M, Chesterfield, Bond Street. In 2010, Philip Morris' share on the international market stood at 16 percent.

Established in the United Kingdom in 1902 British American Tobacco is only second to Philip Morris International. Its brands include Lucky Strike, Pall Mall, Kent, Dunhill. The company operates 45 plants in 39 countries.