| EU court allows Google to sell trademarked keywords |
| Written by DKD Trade , Wednesday, 23 September 2009 | |
 An adviser to the European Union's top court backed Google in a row with luxury goods maker LVMH over Internet advertising, saying the Web search firm had not infringed trade mark rights.
The case centers on whether Google has the right to sell brand names for Internet search advertising -- a money-spinner for the group.Companies such as shoe stores, for example, pay Google so their name appears alongside Internet search results for a brand of designer shoes they sell. LVMH's Louis Vuitton fashion brand and others have been fighting such advertising after makers of imitation products piggybacked on those brands in online searches to attract customers. But the European Court of Justice said Tuesday that Advocate General Poiares Maduro "considers that Google has not infringed trade mark rights by allowing advertisers to buy keywords corresponding to registered trade marks." The French courts last year referred the case to the EU tribunal, seeking guidance on whether Google's use of keywords contravened companies' rights under EU trade mark laws. LVMH said Google could still face legal and criminal action. "The use of a brand that gives Google an undue advantage in its business means that Google can be brought to national courts for both legal and criminal cases," it said in a statement. Louis Vuitton, whose products are advertised by the singer Madonna in glossy magazines, contributes more than half of LVMH's core profits. Maduro said in his opinion the use of the trade marks was limited to the selection of keywords, which concerned only Google and the advertisers. To read the article in full visit : http://www.reuters.com/article/ousivMolt/idUSTRE58L13C20090922 |