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EspañolWhy the EU cancelled the "Turkaegean" trademark - The three central points of the decision and the reasons for rejecting the Turkish positions
06-12-2025
After a two-year procedure, the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) accepted Greece's request and cancelled the "Turkaegean" trademark. The decision means that this term can no longer be used as a registered trademark in the EU for any of the six categories of services for which it had been registered (advertising, media, transport, education, hospitality services and legal services).
The Turkish side has two months to file an appeal and four months to submit its full statement of grounds. However, the EUIPO decision rests on three clear legal points:
- Geographical character of the term
"Turkaegean" was deemed to be a strongly geographical term, which is contrary to the rules on trademarks. A mark that refers directly to a region or geographical zone cannot acquire exclusivity. - Lack of distinctive character
The mark showed no particular originality or element that would make it distinctive. According to the EUIPO, the term does not create identifying value for a specific service provider. - Inadequacy of the graphic element
The red heart accompanying the word was assessed as a common advertising motif rather than a distinctive element capable of altering the descriptive character of the mark.
Beyond the purely legal elements, the decision also contains clear positions on the arguments of Greece and Turkey. The Greek side argued that the mark violates public policy and was filed in bad faith, while Turkey claimed that Greece is attempting to monopolise tourism in the Aegean. The EUIPO fully rejected the Turkish claim of "abuse of rights" and accepted the core reasoning of the Greek application.
The development is also considered significant at the political level. As Development Minister Takis Theodorikakos stated, the decision is a "significant success" and confirms that Greece effectively defends its national interests, including in the field of trademarks. Similar satisfaction was expressed by Adonis Georgiadis, who had initiated the procedure during his time as minister.
First positive indication in the US as well
At the same time, in the United States the Trademark Office requested additional explanations from the Turkish Tourism Organisation regarding the reason for choosing the term "TurkAegean". The Greek side has already submitted a complete file arguing that the use of the term has a geopolitical character. In the US, the possibility even remains open that the procedure could be extended to federal courts, with the aim of examining the "ulterior motives" behind the Turkish application.
The EUIPO decision represents a clear European stance: terms that carry a strong geographical or political charge cannot be used as trademarks with exclusivity, particularly when they create confusion regarding locations, cultural identity or tourism orientation.
See more disputes here Trademark disputes