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Trademark re-filings deemed bad faith by the EU in MONOPOLY case

In landmark “MONOPOLY” case, EU vetoes re-filings of trademarks to prevent circumvention of the proof of use requirement.

Hasbro, the American toys and board games conglomerate, famous for its board game MONOPOLY, has recently lost a landmark EU case. A decision by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) was upheld, leaving Hasbro’s EU trademark for “MONOPOLY” partially invalidated on the grounds of bad faith. The ruling is a major development concerning bad faith within trademark law.

Attorney at Law Monika Colak and Assistant Attorney Philippe Benjamin Skow explain why and what it means for your trademarks.

Trademark re-filings deemed bad faith by the EU in MONOPOLY case