EasyGroup Loses Trademark Dispute In UK

by Robin Pilgrim, LawAndTax-News.com, London

30 June 2003

EasyGroup founder, Stelios Haji-Ioannou last week faced another defeat when the UK Trademark Registry ruled against his organisation in a dispute with Easybroker International over the equity brokerage's use of the word 'easy' in its trademark.

EasyGroup, which is the parent company of many ventures, including easyJet, easyCar, easyValue, easyInternetCafes, easyEverything, easyMoney, and easyCinema, has something of a reputation for coming down hard on organisations seeking to incorporate the word 'easy' into their brand.

However, in May the firm dropped its case against online art vendor, Easyart.com, claiming that with the forthcoming launch of the EasyCinema venture, the company has bigger fish to fry. This, combined with last week's Trademark Registry ruling, could make it more difficult for the organisation to bring cases against small companies making use of the word in future.

UK-based Easybroker, founded by fellow Greek Cypriot, Savvas Liasis began trading in early 1999, before easyGroup was founded, but did not seek to register its trademark until 2001, by which point Mr Haji-Ioannou had launched legal proceedings to block the registration.

Speaking following the announcement last week, the Easybroker founder welcomed the verdict, suggesting that:

'It has really been a question of bullying. Not all of easyGroup's targets have been in the fortunate position of Easybroker in being able to afford to stand up to this.'

He continued: 'We are pleased by such an unambiguous ruling at such an early stage, and while easyGroup has the option to appeal to the High Court, Easybroker has already put resources into this and has the capacity to continue to do so.'

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