The Intellectual Property Office of the EU (C58927, 10/01/25) canceled yesterday the European Trade Mark “Turkaegean”, which the Turkish Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA) had put up for registration in 2021. The decision is a vindication of the Greek positions.

In February 2023, under Adonis Georgiadis at the Ministry of Development, an application for cancellation was made by the Hellenic Republic, with the OBI handling the case for the infringement of the Turkish organization’s trademark.

In the decision of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) it is pointed out that Turkey “did not prove that the disputed mark had acquired distinctive character either before the date of its filing or before the date of filing the application for cancellation. In light of the above, the application for cancellation is fully successful, and the contested mark is declared invalid for all services at issue.”

In fact, the cancellation of the Turkish trademark comes a few days after the decision of the US Trademark Trial and Appeal Board of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to ask Turkey for more clarification on the reason it chose the trademark mark “TurkAegean”.

“The cancellation of “Turkaegean” is a major success of our country and it is proven that Greece can defend its right. The entire government is working with determination to defend our national interests in all areas. We are fighting a battle everywhere”, said the Minister of Development, Takis, speaking to “Real FM 97.8” Theodorikakos.

Yesterday, after the announcement of the decision, the minister said: “Greece with the Government of Kyriakos Mitsotakis is strong on the international stage and defends with determination and efficiency its national interests in the commercial field as well. We claim our right with all our strength and with every legal means. This is how we arrived at the vindication of the infringement of the European Trademark “Turkaegean”.

With today’s post on Platform X, the current Minister of Health, Adonis Georgiadisstated that “the Turkaegean objection won in the European institutions got to the point and demolishes the argument of the Blue homeland”.

“This is a more important victory than the badge itself! Really proud of that!” concludes Adonis Georgiadis.

In his post yesterday, he said that he feels “vindicated” and “really proud, because I did my duty.”

The President of OBI, Dimitris Chronis, said: “The decision to cancel Turkaegean fully satisfies the Greek positions and fully justifies the decision to resort to insulting the brand”.

The Director General of the OBI, Panagiotis Kanellopoulos, commented: “In the Turkaegean case, the OBI together with the legal representatives who represented the country, worked systematically and methodically to achieve today’s positive result in a difficult legal battle”.