UK High Court Rules In Favour Of easyGroup In Trademark Dispute

by Robin Pilgrim, LawAndTax-News.com, London

20 July 2006

It emerged last week that Stelios Haji-Ioannou's easyGroup has scored yet another victory in its battle to protect its 'easy' trademark.

Ruling on Friday, the UK's High Court found against bskyb's Easynet ISP, which had appealed the Trade Mark Registry's decision to allow easyGroup to register easy.com as a trademark.

The High Court stated that the 'easy.com' trademark is distinctive, and ordered Easynet to pay the costs for both sides.

In a statement, easyGroup announced that:

"An 'easy.com' trade mark is an important step for the easyGroup as its brand is currently extended into 15 diverse businesses and will continue to grow."

"In addition, the easyGroup is in the business of licensing its brand and selling franchises of its businesses. Part of the agreement with licensees and franchisees who are paying good money for the right to use the 'easy' brand name is that the easyGroup will defend its brand and intellectual property on behalf of licensees and franchisees as well as on behalf of the millions of consumers who trust their money to easyGroup businesses around the world."

"If there is any chance that consumers could be confused into believing that a company is part of the easyGroup when in fact it is not, then the easyGroup is duty bound to protect its brand and those consumers."

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