EU court rejects registration of trademark for "Russian warship..."

Stamp "Russian warship, go...". Photo: Ukrposhta

The Court of General Jurisdiction of the European Union (EU) has dismissed the appeal of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine (SBGS) against the decision to ban the registration of the trademark "Russian warship, go...".

This was reported by Deutsche Welle with reference to the decision of the EU Court of Justice.

It is noted that an application for registration of this slogan as a trademark was filed on March 16, 2022 with the European Intellectual Property Agency (EUIPO). However, on December 22, 2022, the application was rejected. The Ukrainian side filed an appeal, arguing that the slogan is a battle cry related to Ukraine's resistance to Russian aggression. However, the court confirmed that the slogan does not have the character of distinctiveness required for a trademark. Therefore, the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine will not be able to register a trademark in the European Union with the slogan "Russian warship, go to hell".

The figurative mark that they wanted to register. Image: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/

The phrase, which was attempted to be registered as a trademark, became known after Ukrainian border guards on Zmeinyi Island refused to surrender to a Russian warship, responding with this slogan. Since then, the expression has become a symbol of resilience and resistance, gaining widespread support and becoming a meme in Ukraine and beyond.

The postage stamp "Russian warship, go ... !" stamp, which Ukrposhta issued on April 12, 2022, has become a collector's item. It caused a particular stir after the sinking of the Russian Black Sea Fleet's flagship, the Moskva missile cruiser, in the Black Sea - the very "Russian ship" that Ukrainian border guards from Zmeinyi Island referred to with a phrase that has become a catchphrase both in Ukraine and abroad.

The Moskva missile cruiser was the flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. It is a ship of the 1164 Atlant project. It was launched in Mykolaiv in 1979. It took part in the war against Georgia in 2008 and in Syria. It was a carrier of eight P-1000 heavy anti-ship missiles and eight S-300F anti-aircraft missiles.

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