MOSCOW, August 6 (RAPSI) - The board of the Patent Disputes Chamber has confirmed the rejection of Polska Wodka’s application for a trademark containing the words “Polish vodka,” the patent agency reports.

The Polish company applied for trademark protection in connection with goods in classes 33 (alcohol beverages) and 35 (advertising, management) of the International (Nice) Classification of Goods and Services. The trademark would consist of the words “Polish” and “Vodka,” a logo with crisscrossed wheatears and the letters “V” and “P.”

According to an expert review, “Polish” and “vodka” are not protectable because “vodka” refers to a specific type of product, which means protection of such a trademark would confuse consumers regarding the whole range of class 33 and class 35 products.

A Polska Wodka representative claimed that “Polish Vodka” does not necessarily refer to a type of product. In this particular case, she said, it refers to the manufacturer’s specific product line.

The representative also said that “Vodka” does not refer to any advertising or sales service while “Polish” only describes the origin of the company and its product. Additionally, similar agencies in the US and Australia have ruled in favor of protecting the trademark.