INTA Hosts Policy Dialogue on Well-Known Marks and Nontraditional Trademarks in Türkiye

In early October, INTA co-hosted the “2024 Policy Dialogue: Well-Known Marks and Nontraditional Trademarks in Türkiye” with İstanbul Bilgi University and Gün + Partners.

The event began with opening remarks by INTA’s Chief Representative Officer Europe and Intergovernmental Organizations, Tat-Tienne Louembe, who introduced the work of the Association on famous and well-known marks (FWKMs) and nontraditional marks (NTMs). Mr. Louembe highlighted the advocacy efforts undertaken by INTA in the promotion and enforcement of NTMs and FWKMs.

Güler Ayyıldız Dalma, IP Director of Beko Global (Türkiye), delivered keynote remarks explaining her company’s position on the importance of brands in light of becoming one of the world’s leading appliance companies, as well as the evolution of BEKO as a global brand.

The first panel, titled “Protection and Enforcement of Well-Known Marks,” was moderated by Uğur Aktekin of Gün + Partners (Türkiye). Fülürya Yusufoglu Bilgin summarized the legal basis and context for the protection of FWKMs, emphasizing precedents that require clarification. Fethi Merdivan discussed the conditions for protecting FWKMs across different goods and services, citing exemplary court decisions and recent developments regarding the recordation of FWKMs in Türkiye. Famous and Well-Known Marks Committee member Marie-Laure Bonnaffous (Essilor Luxottica, Italy) shared her experiences in protecting FWKMs from a brand owner’s perspective, including examples of her team’s efforts to protect a well-known brand from counterfeits and lookalikes.

The second panel, moderated by Pınar Arıkan (Gün + Partners, Türkiye) focused on the “Protection of Nontraditional Marks,” featuring insights from experts. In this panel, Özge Bayır from TURKPATENT discussed the Office practices regarding NTMs, while Eda Çataklar from İstanbul Bilgi University addressed the challenges of registering these marks and the scope of protection available. Lastly, Neval Berdibek, General Counsel of Nusr-et, (Türkiye) shared the story of the SALT BAE mark in terms of its registration and protection as a motion trademark.

Throughout the event, participants engaged in discussions about the legal aspects and challenges related to the protection of these types of marks and had the opportunity to network with experts in the field.

Although every effort has been made to verify the accuracy of this article, readers are urged to check independently on matters of specific concern or interest.

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