Google has scored one against it’s long time nemesis; LVMH Luis Vuitton Moet Hennessy, over a case filed by the later about Google infringing on European Trademark Law as it continues to allow its advertisers to use the so called “protected keywords.”
In the EU Tribunal’s hearing, Advocate General Luis Miguel Poiares Pessoa Maduro reported to the European Court of Justice that Google doesn’t violate EU trademark law.
Mr. Maduro also thinks that Google’s use of protected keywords to serve links to specific products will not confuse customers.
“It is important not to allow the legitimate purpose of preventing certain trademark infringements to lead all trademark uses to be prohibited. Since the use by Google does not involve identical or similar goods or services, in principle there can be no risk of confusion on the part of the consumers.”
While Mr. Maduro may have ruled in favor of Google on the issue of the protected keywords, it seems that Google will not get everything it wants. For one thing, Maduro said that Google does not have the right to invoke EU Law that protects it from liability unless they are notfied by a possible breach in Trademark policy.
Expect the EU targeted PPC campaigns to light up today like a mad pinball machine following this announcement!
