US beer giant Anheuser-Busch won its latest battle against Czech brewer Budejovicky over the use of trademarks such as Budweiser today.
The EU's Court of First Instance, the EU's second-highest court, ruled in favour of the largest brewer in United States - best known for its Budweiser beer - in a case taken by the state-owned brewer of Budweiser Budvar over various trademarks linked to the Budweiser brand.
Budejovicky has been involved in a battle with its US rival after the global giant was granted the right in 1996 to register terms such as Bud and AB Genuine Budweiser King of Beers as trademarks across the 27-nation bloc.
Anheuser-Busch sells beer under the "Budweiser" and "Bud Light" brands, competing with the "Budweiser Budvar" brand used by the Czech brewer. The Czech firm also sells a strong lager under the "Bud Super Strong" brand.
Successive Czech governments have in the past shunned the idea of privatisation on concerns the company would be bought by Anheuser-Busch and lose the trademark, or its position in export markets, in favour of the American firm.
Budvar had sales of €338 million last year. Anheuser-Busch controls about half of the United States' beer market, with its Bud Light the top-selling beer brand in the United States.