An ongoing legal battle is still under way regarding the United States’ violation of intellectual property rights regarding the Havana Club brand name. In 1998, the U.S. withdrew protection for the Cuban produced rums, allowing American company Bacardi to sell its products using that name. In September 2010, a U.S. judge rejected a lawsuit (filed in 2006) by Pernod Ricard, partnered with Cubaexports, which sought to block Bacardi from selling Havana Club rum in the U.S. after Bacardi USA launched the Havana Club rum in Miami, Florida. Now, 12 world delegations are calling for compliance with WTO recommendations. See excerpts with a link to the full article below:
Cuba and other 12 delegations including the European Union bloc called upon the United States to comply with the resolutions and recommendations made by the Dispute Settlement Body of the World Trade Organization (WTO). In a meeting Thursday in Geneva Nancy Madrigal, advisor of the Cuban Permanent Mission to Geneva-based international organizations said Washington’s inaction and failure to comply with such rules violates Cuban intellectual property. [. . .] Madrigal warned that it would become another negative precedent of huge impact in world trade, should the pretensions of U.S.-based Cuban beneficiaries of such politically biased rulings materialize.
Once again, delegations from different countries expressed their rejection to Washington’s stance in relation to a lawsuit involving the Cuban rum brand Havana Club. [. . .] In a clear violation of Intellectual Property right, the U.S. issued a law in 1998 withdrawing the protection to the Havana Club brand name registered by Cuba for the commercialization of Cuban rum, and allowing American company Bacardi to sell its products using the brand name.
Havana Club is a Cuban rum trade name previously owned by the Arrechavala family based in the western region of the country when Havana Club was Bacardi’s traditional competition. After recovering from the state of neglect in which its former owners left it and overcoming the siege resulting from the economic blockade by the U.S., Havana Club is today ranked as one of the best rums of the world.
For full article, see http://www.thewestindiannews.com/cuba-accuses-u-s-of-violating-trade-norms/
Also see http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/04/07/1567564/court-favors-bacardi-in-havana.html and http://havanajournal.com/business/entry/bacardi-havana-club-trademark-bad-us-politics-makes-for-bad-us-business/
Photo from http://www.latismo.com/forum/review/215-havana-club-cuban-barrel-proof-rum-cuba.html
