SPI Group condemns court's Stolichnaya ruling

Author: Andy Morton | 2 August 2012

SPI Group has called a Dutch court's decision to return the rights of its Stolichnaya and Moskovskaya brands in three European countries to the Russian government as ?unfounded in both the facts and the law?.

Late last week, a court in The Hague ruled that Dutch company Spirits International, which is owned by SPI founder Yuri Shefler, illegally purchased the rights to the two vodka brands, according to reports in the Russian press.

In a statement to just-drinks yesterday (1 August), however, SPI condemned last week's ruling.

?We strongly disagree with the court?s decision affecting Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg, which we believe is unfounded in both the facts and the law,? the Luxembourg-based company said. ?Although we are still reviewing the details of the ruling with our legal counsel, we remain committed to defending our rights and will take every legal step available to us to defend the trademarks that were legitimately acquired and are rightfully ours.?

The court fight is the latest round in a long-running battle over the rights of the vodka brands.?SPI bought the Stolichnaya and Moskovskaya trademarks, along with 41 other brands, from state-owned Soyuzplodoimport in 1997 for US$300,000. However, the Russian Federation regained the rights within its borders and in 2002 released Stolichnaya in Russia under its own label. It claims SPI illegally bought the rights at far below market value by taking advantage of the chaos of the Soviet Union's breakup.?

Since then, legal battles have been fought in a number of courts over who owns the brands.

Source: http://www.just-drinks.com/news/spi-group-condemns-courts-stolichnaya-ruling_id107761.aspx

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