The European Court of Justice on Thursday, November 8, announced that it turned down Hungary’s lawsuit against inscription of the Tokaj wine region for Slovakia in the E Bacchus database, stating that the inscription cannot be contested. Hungary had initiated the lawsuit based on the protection which this trademark enjoyed since before the database was launched.
The wine growing Tokaj region straddles the border between Hungary and Slovakia. The European Commission, when requested by Slovakia, inscribed the protected Vinohradnícka oblasť Tokaj (Tokaj wine growing region) trademark of origin onto the lists of high quality wines produced in the region, that were published in its official bulletin in February, 2006, and May, 2007. Slovakia then requested that the trademarked name be changed to Tokajská/Tokajské/Tokajský vinohradnícka oblasť, which was used for a list of quality wines that was published in June 2009. Hungary contested this change, insisting that Slovakia use the Hungarian name Tokaj, as opposed to the Slovak spelling, for its wine produced in the region.
(Source: TASR)
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
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