A federal court in Virginia has ruled that a state-owned tobacco company in Cuba rightfully sought cancellation of General Cigar Company‘s claim to the Cohiba name. The decision found that General Cigar was obligated by the provisions of the Inter-American Convention, which protects trademarks within the Americas.
General Cigar, in a press release, said the three-decade legal fight will continue.
“We are of course disappointed by this decision, but we and our advisors will now study the ruling closely and of course consider the opportunity to appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit,” Régis Broersma, chief commercial officer of Scandinavian Tobacco Group, the owner of General Cigar Co. said in the release. “Our federal trademark registrations, which are the subject of the dispute, would remain valid and enforceable during a pending appeal. We expect the long dispute to continue before the courts.”
