On 1 June 2010, Milano Trading Est., a Bahraini company, has filed a trademark application for "Milano & device" in class 35 under No. 81671which was published in the official Gazette No. 2991 dated 17 March 2011.
Our client, Danube Building Materials FZCO, a U.A.E. company, and the real owner of trademark "MILANO" filed an opposition against the above trademark application.
Our opposition was based on the following:
- The Opponent is the sole and legitimate owner of the trademark MILANO and has the priority in registering the same in the Kingdom of Bahrain and worldwide.
- The confusing similarities between the opposed trademark application and the opponent's trademark in terms of the pronunciation, phonetics and the kind of products which will lead to public confusion.
- The Opponent's trademark is being used in Bahrain, gulf countries and Arab countries since a long period of time.
- Due to the extensive use of the opponent's trademark and the broad advertising campaigns in Bahrain and other countries of the world, the said trademark became well-known trademarks and associated, in the minds of the consumers, with the name of our client.
- Accepting the registration of the opposed trademark application violates the provisions of the law, international treaties and Paris Convention, as it is confusingly similar to opponent's well known trademark that has been registered prior to filing the applicant's trademark.
The Registrar, after reviewing the above merits and the supporting documentary evidences thereof, has issued his favorable decision by accepting the opposition and subsequently rejecting the registration of the opposed trademark application in Bahrain.
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