Russian Court Overturns Rospatent Refusal for Curtis Tea Mark

The Court for Intellectual Property Rights in Russia sided with tea producer May in a dispute over trademark registration. The company had sought protection for Curtis Elegant Earl Grey in class 30 since 2024. Rospatent had refused the application, citing the descriptive nature of Earl Grey as a tea variety and conflicts with existing marks containing Elegant.

May appealed the decision internally without success before turning to the specialized court. In case SIP-25/2026, the court annulled Rospatent's refusal and ordered fresh examination of the application. The ruling requires the office to reassess the mark's registrability, focusing on whether the combination creates a distinctive impression despite the common elements.

The decision highlights ongoing scrutiny of composite marks involving generic or descriptive terms in the Russian trademark system. No further details on the court's reasoning were immediately available in the published order.