Apple has won part of a trademark dispute in Europe after the European Union Intellectual Property Office ruled that a Chinese company’s citrus-shaped logo came too close to Apple’s brand reputation for computer-related products. However, the same ruling allowed the company to continue using the logo for solar panels because the EUIPO found no strong connection between that business and Apple’s products.
The case involved Chinese company Yichun Qinningmeng Electronics, which applied for an EU trademark covering keyboards, computer accessories, and solar panels. Apple opposed the filing last year after arguing that the logo looked too similar to its famous Apple logo, especially because it included a detached leaf and a missing section on one side.
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The EUIPO did not fully agree with Apple’s argument that the logo directly resembled an apple. Instead, the office said the design looked more like a “round-shaped fruit in general,” with features closer to an orange than an apple because of its perfectly circular shape and segmented design.
Still, the office ruled in Apple’s favor for computer-related goods because consumers could still create what it described as a “mental ‘link’ between the signs” due to Apple’s strong reputation in the European market.
EUIPO Says Apple’s Reputation Played a Major Role
In its decision, the EUIPO explained that Apple’s reputation in the EU market carried significant weight even though the two logos shared only a “very low degree” of visual similarity.
“Therefore, although the signs are only visually similar to a very low degree, the Opposition Division concludes that, when encountering the contested sign in relation to the above-mentioned goods in Class 9, which have, or may have, a close connection with the goods for which the earlier mark enjoys a high degree of reputation, the relevant consumers are likely to associate it with the earlier mark, that is to say, to establish a mental ‘link’ between the signs,” the EUIPO said in its ruling.
The office also noted that Yichun Qinningmeng Electronics never provided a valid reason for using the disputed logo, which weakened its defense during the opposition process.
At the same time, the EUIPO drew a clear line between consumer electronics and solar panels. The office said solar panels belong to a completely different commercial sector with different buyers, sales channels, and business purposes. Because of that separation, regulators concluded that buyers would not connect the citrus-shaped logo to Apple when used for energy products.
Apple Continues Aggressive Trademark Enforcement
Apple regularly challenges trademarks it believes benefit from its brand recognition. The company previously targeted the pear-shaped logo used by recipe app Prepear and also objected to a logo used by a Norwegian political party.
In this latest dispute, Apple argued that the Chinese company intended to benefit from Apple’s reputation while selling similar computer-related products such as keyboards and accessories. The EUIPO largely accepted that argument despite describing the similarities between the two logos as minor.
Yichun Qinningmeng Electronics can still appeal the ruling within the next two months. Until then, the company cannot move forward with its trademark registration for keyboards and related computer products inside the European Union.
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