The Greek Supreme Court has recently handed down its ruling in a cassation appeal concerning the shape of biscuits and their protection as unregistered trademarks (no 659/2023), confirming the findings of the Athens Court of Appeal. The biscuits, although quite well-known, were considered non-distinctive, as was the image of two spikes of wheat embossed on…

We had reported on the introduction in Greece of mandatory mediation in trademark infringement disputes in this blog here and here. Law no 4640/2019 “Mediation on civil and commercial disputes – Further harmonization of Greek legislation with Directive 2008/52/EC of the European parliament and of the council of 21 May 2008 and other provisions” (the…

The Greek draft law implementing the European Trade Mark Directive 2015/2436 (the Directive) was uploaded on the compenet Ministry website for public consultation on January 11, 2019 and it will remain open for public consultation until January 25, 2019 (http://www.opengov.gr/ypoian/?p=9959). Upon completion of the public consultation, the draft law shall be brought before the Parliament…

We recently reported on the introduction in Greece of mandatory mediation in trademark infringement disputes in this blog here. The respective legal provisions of law 4512/2018 shall start to apply as of 17 October 2018. On 28.6.2018, the Greek Supreme Court’s administrative plenary panel issued an opinion holding that the mandatory mediation introduced by this…

By virtue of law 4512/2018, which was published on 17 January 2018, all disputes concerning trademarks, patents and industrial designs initiated before civil courts in Greece are subject to mandatory mediation. Hearing of the cases shall be inadmissible if the mediation process stipulated in the law has not been followed. The provisions shall start to…