WRITTEN QUESTION E-2778/01 by Didier Rod (Verts/ALE), Alain Lipietz (Verts/ALE)and Pierre Jonckheer (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Ownership of the euro logo.
Date: 2001-10-09
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European Union Intellectual Property Office, European symbol, access to information, appeal to the Court (EU), banking, euro, registered trade mark

C 147 E/52

Official Journal of the European Communities

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20.6.2002

Greece, including Lakes Vistonida and Koronia, providing for low input farm management systems, aiming
at improving biodiversity at a first sight. However, this action should be beneficial for the quality of water
in these lakes as well, since it will contribute to reduce pollution from farming.

The Commission also co-finances a project on the extension, improvement and modernisation of urban
waste water treatment systems in the city of Ioannina under the Cohesion Fund. Once achieved, this
system will have a positive effect on Ioannina Lake.

As far as Lake Koronia is concerned, the elaboration of a ‘Master Plan’, and the first phase of its
rehabilitation were also co-financed by the Cohesion Fund. The next step of this project has been taken up
in the Cohesion Fund’s implementation strategy for the 2000-2006 period.

Moreover, a whole series of projects on the protection of biotopes in the Volvi, Prespa and Bistonida lakes
were co-financed (5) during by the European Regional Development Fund under
the Operational
Programme (OP) Environment for the 1994-1999 period. The extension of these actions is foreseen in
the relevant Operational Programme for the 2000-2006 period and in the Cohesion Fund projects for the
same period. Protecting the biotopes will also have positive impacts on the lakes named above.

At present the Commission is in discussion with the Greek authorities on their review and ‘enlarging’ of
sensitive areas (under the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive) and vulnerable zones (under the
Nitrates Directive), as currently identified for tertiairy wastewater treatments and action programmes in
agriculture in order to prevent nutrient losses. An improvement in this field would lead to more stringent
provisions in endangered areas and would be a significant step forward in combating eutrophication and
nitrate problems in surface waters and groundwater bodies. This improvement of water quality, in general,
would tackle the problem of high concentrations of toxins as well, as this occurs as a consequence of
eutrophication.

In summary, the assessment of research work done in Greece as well as the use of results within future
projects, lies within the responsibilities of the Greek authorities.

(1) Council Directive 75/440/EEC of 16 June 1975 concerning the quality required of surface water intended for the

abstraction of drinking water in the Member States, OJ L 194, 25.7.1975.

(2) Council Directive 91/271/EEC of 21 May 1991 concerning urban waste-water treatment, OJ L 135, 30.5.1991.
(3) Council Directive 91/676/EEC of 12 December 1991 concerning the protection of waters against pollution caused

by nitrates from agricultural sources, OJ L 375, 31.12.1991.

(4) Council Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999 of 17 May 1999 on support for rural development from the European
Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) and amending and repealing certain Regulations, OJ L 160,
26.6.1999.

(5) Environmental Operational Program in the framework of the Community Support Structure for Greece.

(2002/C 147 E/052)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2778/01

by Didier Rod (Verts/ALE), Alain Lipietz (Verts/ALE)
and Pierre Jonckheer (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(9 October 2001)

Subject: Ownership of the euro logo

The press (1) (2) has recently reported on a legal wrangle which could jeopardise the launch of the euro and
cost the Commission several million euros.

According to the articles in question, Travelex, a subsidiary of Thomas Cook, has filed a case with the
European Court of Justice in Luxembourg claiming trade mark infringement, based on the similarity
between the euro symbol and the company’s own logo which, it claims, has been registered since 1989 C
seven years before the euro symbol was adopted.

It must be said that Travelex is a foreign exchange office and therefore has much to lose from the
forthcoming introduction of the euro. And of course there is no certainty that it will win its case before
the European Court of Justice.

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Unfortunately, this uncertainty will not be sufficient to restore the euro’s vitality and credibility only a few
weeks before its launch.

The fact that no one inside the European institutions has so far shown any concern for this particular
aspect of the matter is baffling, especially in view of the issue’s importance.

What is also incomprehensible is the fact that the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (trade
marks and designs) (http://www.oami.eu.int), based in Alicante, is a European institution which is officially
responsible for registering Community trade marks and, in the near future, Community designs. What then
is its purpose in actual practice?

Will the Commission state whether these allegations are accurate and clarify the following points:

C Did the Commission carry out appropriate studies, in particular with regard to registered trade marks

and designs, before adopting a symbol for the euro?

C Was the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market consulted in this context?

C If the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market was not consulted, did it not have at least a
moral duty to take the initiative of carrying out such a check as soon as a euro symbol was adopted?

More generally, does the Commission have an inventory of the trade marks and designs which it uses?
Have these trade marks and designs been registered? If so, with whom?

(1) Legal action puts euro launch at risk, article by Martin Banks in European Voice, Volume 7, No 27.
(2) Euro symbol at centre of bizarre row, article by Andrew Osborn in The Guardian (27 July 2001).

Answer given by Mr Solbes Mira on behalf of the Commission

(3 December 2001)

The Commission is aware of the actions launched by Thomas Cook on the euro logo.

As the whole of the dossier is subject to an action before the Court of First Instance of the Communities,
no written or oral statement can be made by the Commission as regards the various arguments raised.

Nevertheless, the Commission considers that this action cannot affect the date of the introduction of the
euro banknotes and coins.

As regards the role of the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (trade marks and designs), its
main task is to carry out registration procedures for Community trade marks and,
in the future,
Community designs.

Its competencies, which are strictly established through the relevant Community Regulations, are
exclusively technical and do not include any consultancy work to third parties. This does not prejudge
the possibility of those third parties to consult the public registers kept by the Office for this purpose.

Finally, as regards the Honourable Member’s more general question on an inventory of distinctive signs,
the Commission runs a list of signs registered as trademarks on behalf of the Communities.