Budvar claims victory in Spanish court

Modern Brewery Age, July 21, 2003

For the second time in the last couple of weeks, cheeky Czech brewery Budejovicky Budvar has claimed victory in court over Anheuser-Busch.

The Czech brewer said that a high court in Madrid has upheld the company's rights for the Budejovicky Budvar trade name in Spain.

The court overturned earlier decisions by the Spanish patent office which, acting at the request of St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch, twice rejected Budvar's attempts to register its trade name, the statement said.

Last week, the Czech brewery claimed another trademark victory in Taiwan where Anheuser-Busch had appealed the registration of the Budvar's Budejovicky Budvar trade name. Anheuser-Busch argued the name is too similar to its own flagship trade name Budweiser and may be confusing to beer drinkers in the Asian Country.

The two companies have battled over the name Budweiser since 1906, when the Czech brewery began exporting its product to the U.S. The companies are involved in more than 40 lawsuits around the world.