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Dutch Court of Appeals backs Russia’s right to Stolichnaya, Moskovskaya vodka brands

The court ruled that the Luxembourg based Spirits International company should stop selling vodka under the Stolichnaya brand in the Benelux countries

© Craig Barritt/Getty Images for Tribeca Film Festival

MOSCOW, January 9. /TASS/. The Court of Appeals in the Netherlands has confirmed Russia’s right to Stolichnaya and Moskovskaya vodka, Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf reported on Tuesday.

The court ruled that the Luxembourg based Spirits International company should stop selling vodka under the Stolichnaya brand in the Benelux countries (Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg).

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The Russian state owns vodka brands via Soyuzplodoimport. The Stolichnaya and Moskovskaya brands are included in the portfolio of Soyuzplodoimport along with Russkaya vodka and Sovetskoye sparkling wine.

On Tuesday, an official with Soyuzplodoimport told TASS that the company is satisfied with the court’s ruling.

"Today's victory in the Court of Appeal of the Netherlands is extremely important, as it confirms the fairness of the previous rulings," the official said.

The official added that the company would use the court’s ruling in the ongoing legal dispute for the return of its rights for the Stolichnaya and Moskovskaya trademarks in EU countries and throughout the world.

Soyuzplodimport has been fighting for the rights to popular vodka brands in numerous legal battles abroad for more than 10 years.

In March 2015, a District Court in Rotterdam upheld Russia’s right to the Stolichnaya and Moskovskaya trademarks in a lawsuit with Spirits International, which is controlled by businessman Yuri Shefler. The court banned Spirits International from selling Stolichnaya and Moskovskaya vodka in the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. Spirits International disputed the ruling in the court of appeal, which now upheld it.

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