Lawsuit rejected
A Beijing court has rejected a French company's lawsuit against the State Administration for Industry and Commerce for not passing its application to register an "Oxford" brand.
Holdham, a company registered in France, sued the brand-assessment panel of the State Administration Industry and Commerce after the panel overruled its application to register the word "Oxford" and a brand with the image of a lion and a shield in China in May 2005.
Holdham registered the word and image in France in May 2002. It applied for registration on electric notepad and stationary in China in April 2003.
The Beijing No 1 Intermediate People's Court ruled that "Oxford" means the city of Oxford in Britain to most of the Chinese public. It could mislead consumers into thinking the products were made in Oxford, which violates Chinese brand law.
Holdham argued that Oxford is famous because of OxfordUniversity, not Oxford the city. The brand has been registered and recognized in several other countries.
(Source: China Daily)
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