The European Union’s intellectual property agency has rejected an appeal by Turkey’s tourism promotion body against a 2025 decision cancelling the “TurkAegean” trademark, in a ruling welcomed by Greece as a vindication of its longstanding objections.
The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) had initially granted the trademark in 2021 to Turkey’s Tourism Promotion and Development Agency.
Following objections from Greece, however, the agency overturned that decision in January 2025, invalidating the trademark across six categories, including advertising, media, transport, education, hospitality and legal services.
Central to the ruling was the EUIPO’s conclusion that the term “TurkAegean” carried strong geographic connotations. According to the agency, English-speaking consumers would immediately interpret the term as referring to the “Turkish part of the Aegean,” a region already widely recognized as a tourist destination and economic center, including the city of Izmir.
Legal sources told Kathimerini that Turkey could challenge the latest decision before the General Court of the European Union.
