The European General Court has upheld Kutxabank's exclusive rights to the 'K' mark in financial services but allows Klarna to register it elsewhere. The Basque bank will now pursue the case in Spanish courts.
The European General Court ruled on Wednesday and protected Kutxabank's use of the 'K' mark for financial services, including banking, insurance and real estate. The decision rejects appeals from both parties and upholds opposition to Klarna's registration in those areas.
Kutxabank has announced it will launch civil actions in Spain to stop the Swedish platform from using the mark. The bank will file the complaint in Alicante's commercial courts, which handle European trademark infringements.
The dispute dates back to 2017, when Klarna applied to register the 'K.' with the European Union Intellectual Property Office. Kutxabank sources note that a GFK study shows 57% of Spaniards spontaneously associate the logo with their bank.
