This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/15/french-village-laguiole-trademark-battle

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
French village takes trademark battle to president French village takes trademark battle to president
(about 1 hour later)
The French village of Laguiole has appealed to François Hollande to intervene after losing a long-running legal battle to use its own name.The French village of Laguiole has appealed to François Hollande to intervene after losing a long-running legal battle to use its own name.
The 1,300 residents have been told they can continue trading on their home's name to market the famous Laguiole knives decorated with a bee motif, but nothing else.The 1,300 residents have been told they can continue trading on their home's name to market the famous Laguiole knives decorated with a bee motif, but nothing else.
In a final, desperate effort to snatch back the name, angry locals have asked for help from the president and plan to march on the Elysée Palace to make their point.In a final, desperate effort to snatch back the name, angry locals have asked for help from the president and plan to march on the Elysée Palace to make their point.
After losing their first legal case in 2012, residents unscrewed the sign at the entrance to the village and said they had "de-baptised" the place.After losing their first legal case in 2012, residents unscrewed the sign at the entrance to the village and said they had "de-baptised" the place.
In a letter to Hollande, the mayor, Vincent Alazard, wrote: "We hope to come to the capital to ask for an audience … and give you the sign of our village (name) that has been taken away from us."In a letter to Hollande, the mayor, Vincent Alazard, wrote: "We hope to come to the capital to ask for an audience … and give you the sign of our village (name) that has been taken away from us."
Laguiole, in the midi-Pyrénées, has endured a bitter legal and identity crisis for more than two decades since businessman Gilbert Szajner registered the village name as a trademark in 1993.Laguiole, in the midi-Pyrénées, has endured a bitter legal and identity crisis for more than two decades since businessman Gilbert Szajner registered the village name as a trademark in 1993.
Szajner's company, based in the Paris region, started marketing an eclectic range of products, including table linen, corkscrews, lighters and even barbecues. Village tempers were further inflamed when it was discovered that several of the 30-plus items sold under the Laguiole name were made in China. Szajner's company, based in the Paris region, started marketing an eclectic range of products including table linen, corkscrews, lighters and even barbecues. Village tempers were further inflamed when it was discovered that several of the 30-plus items sold under the Laguiole name were made in China.
In an adjudication made on 4 April and published this week, the French appeal court decided it was perfectly reasonable for companies to use family and geographical names as trademarks, and ruled that the village of Laguiole had not been "robbed, cheated out of or suffered an attack on its image and reputation" by the company.In an adjudication made on 4 April and published this week, the French appeal court decided it was perfectly reasonable for companies to use family and geographical names as trademarks, and ruled that the village of Laguiole had not been "robbed, cheated out of or suffered an attack on its image and reputation" by the company.
The court declared that villagers had failed to prove that the use of the Laguiole name by the company was "an attack on public interests or prejudicial to local officials".The court declared that villagers had failed to prove that the use of the Laguiole name by the company was "an attack on public interests or prejudicial to local officials".
Alazard described the situation as surreal. "If tomorrow, one of our [local] businesses wants to make Laguiole forks and puts the name Laguiole on them, we will be accused of counterfeiting products made in Asia. You can see the paradox … we've been walked all over," he told Europe 1 radio.Alazard described the situation as surreal. "If tomorrow, one of our [local] businesses wants to make Laguiole forks and puts the name Laguiole on them, we will be accused of counterfeiting products made in Asia. You can see the paradox … we've been walked all over," he told Europe 1 radio.