AC Milan are facing an unusual legal battle in Germany, where the club cannot copyright its logo because it could be mistaken for a local stationery company.
The club has been attempting to copyright the logo in countries all around the world and so far there have not been any issues, other than in Germany.
The European Union Tribunal has rejected an appeal presented by the Rossoneri in June 2020, therefore confirming the logo is too similar to one already in use in Germany.
The stationery company Milan sells pens, pencils and other items for students.
The battle has been dragging on since 2017, when AC Milan applied for EUIPO intellectual property protection.
It was countered by the German company InterES Handels-und Dienstleistungs Gesellschaft mbH & Co KG, who argued their brand MILAN already sells items similar to the ones AC Milan are trying to market.
They have been using that brand name since 1984 and first registered it in 1988.
#Milan, la decisione del Tribunale Ue circoscritta alla Germania. La posizione del club rossonero, che valuterà il ricorso https://t.co/UrXCY9TpIg pic.twitter.com/prKAwbfmzf
— Calcio e Finanza (@CalcioFinanza) November 10, 2021
By a company with “Inter” in its name. You can’t make this up.
Got to love the cosmic joke.