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Peppa Pig has no protection in Russia

Peppa Pig has no protection in Russia

In recent days, the main topic in all media has n the Russian attack on Ukraine, as well as the harsh sanctions imposed by Western countries on the Russian Federation. In response to the sanctions, Vladimir Putin recently signed a decree aimed at abolishing legal protection for entities that own, among other things, patents for their inventions and protection rights for industrial designs, and which are linked to unfriendly countries, have citizenship in them, or conduct business there. As a result, this amounts to nothing more than allowing the use of foreign solutions without any permission or compensation. Although the decree does not cover trademarks, a recent ruling by a Russian court suggests otherwise.

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Russian Peppa Pig

A Russian businessman created his own version of Peppa Pig, a popular cartoon among young children, back in 2021. In response to this, Entertainment One, the company that owns the intellectual property rights to the popular cartoon, decided to take legal action against the Russian entrepreneur.

As a result, the company sent a cease and desist letter in September 2021, demanding that he stop the infringement and pay compensation in the amount of 40,000 rubles (approximately 400 pounds at the time).

Original Peppa Pig loses

Recently, a ruling was issued in this case by a Russian court. The court dismissed the lawsuit filed by Entertainment One, citing the unfavorable actions of the USA and other countries recognized as unfriendly to Russia, which, as a result, prevents the plaintiff from effectively protecting its rights. According to the regulation of March 5, 2022, the list of countries unfriendly to the Russian Federation includes, among others, the USA, countries of the European Union, and the United Kingdom.

New judicial trend in Russia

The aforementioned ruling creates a very real and significant risk that Russia will ultimately allow the theft of trademarks without any obstacles. While the latest decree does not explicitly permit such actions regarding protective rights for various types of markings, court rulings suggest otherwise. Therefore, if the use of third-party trademarks on Russian territory is permitted, local businesses will be able to freely “reintroduce” well-known brands, such as McDonald’s, without any actual connection to the well-known fast-food chain.

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If permission is granted to use foreign trademarks in Russia, local businesses will be able to seamlessly “reintroduce” well-known global brands.

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