Waterford Trademark: Winemaker Wins Eu Ruling

A S African winemaker has won an EU court ruling which gives it the right to use the name 'Waterford' for its wine despite it being a registered trademark of the Irish Waterford Wedgwood company. The EU Court of Justice decided wine & crystal glass were sufficiently different products that people would not be confused by the different uses of the name Waterford. Waterford Crystal was ordered to pay damages but is expected to appeal the judgment handed down by the Court of First Instance, Luxembourg on 12 June. The Waterford Wine Estate outside Cape Town in S Africa applied 7 years ago to the EU's trademarks office (OIHM) to register a label with the words 'Waterford Stellenbosch' under a drawing of a three-tiered stone fountain.