started · updated
EUIPO annuls ITV Studios trademark for Pasapalabra due to bad faith
The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) has annulled the European trademark registration for the game show Pasapalabra, which was held by the British production company ITV Studios. The EUIPO ruled that ITV acted in "bad faith" when it applied for the registration in 2009, alleging that the company attempted to monopolize a name previously created by its former Italian partner, Reti Televisive Italiane (RTI), a subsidiary of Mediaset.
The dispute traces back to 1999, when ITV reached an agreement with RTI to broadcast the format The Alphabet Game in Italy under the name Passaparola. The EUIPO concluded that ITV was aware of the existing Italian rights and sought to secure exclusive rights across the EU, including Italy, despite the established use of the name by Mediaset.
This ruling follows a previous legal setback for the show regarding the rights to its signature segment, El Rosco, which the Spanish Supreme Court determined belongs to the Dutch company MC&F. While the EUIPO decision does not automatically grant ownership to Mediaset or force the immediate removal of the show from Antena 3, it creates significant legal uncertainty for Atresmedia regarding the future of the brand.
Entities
Antena 3 · Atresmedia · EUIPO · ITV Studios · Mediaset
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 3 SOURCES] ITV was the owner of the original format known as “The Alphabet Game.” www.laopinioncoruna.es · www.laprovincia.es · www.diariodeibiza.es
- [● 3 SOURCES] ITV Studios had held the “PASAPALABRA” trademark since 2009. www.laopinioncoruna.es · www.laprovincia.es · www.diariodeibiza.es
- [● 3 SOURCES] The EUIPO Board of Appeal ruled the community trademark for “PASAPALABRA” null and void. www.laopinioncoruna.es · www.laprovincia.es · www.diariodeibiza.es
- [● 3 SOURCES] The Spanish Supreme Court previously ordered Mediaset to remove the program from its schedule in 2019. www.laopinioncoruna.es · www.laprovincia.es · www.diariodeibiza.es