Download This PaperBlood, Toil, Tears and Sweat: The Battle of Sidamo
European Intellectual Property Review, Vol. 32, No. 9, pp. 421-426, 2010
19 Pages Posted: 9 Dec 2010 Last revised: 23 Mar 2011
Date Written: May 13, 2009
Abstract
This article tells the story of the battle between a US multi-national corporation and one of the world’s poorest countries over control of the name of a premium coffee growing region. The story illustrates the supremacy of trade marks over geographical indications, the strategic importance of licence agreements, and the potential for the intellectual property system to be used to benefit the citizens of least developed countries.
Keywords: Developing countries, Geographical indications, Trade marks, United States
JEL Classification: K00, K19, K33, K40
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation