Nike has successfully filed an opposition in Finland against the registration of a similar logo by a Chinese company. The court ruled that while there was no direct risk of confusion, the two trade marks were similar enough for there to be a risk of association. According to the court, this would enable the Chinese to derive unlawful benefit from the reputation of the well-known Nike ‘swoosh’ trade mark. The ruling shows just how wide the protection of famous trade marks in Europe can be these days.

• Nike @en