The Czech brewery Budejovicky Budvar is claiming victory over its rival US-based Anheuser-Busch in the latest round of legal battles. The Portuguese national patent office has apparently sided with Budvar's objections to Anheuser-Busch patent applications for the "Budweiser" and "Budweiser King of Beers" trademarks, Budvar said in a statement.

Budejovicky Budvar had historical rights to the 'Budweiser Budvar' trademark, based on the place of origin of the same name (Budejovice, or Budweis in German), according to the Supreme Court judgement.

Meanwhile, in Lithuania a court rejected Anheuser-Busch's application for a reversal of the country's patent office that refused registration for the Budweiser trademarks of Anheuser-Busch.

The Budvar statement said the Lithuanian court argued that Budvar had already registered the same and similar trademarks. It said it was irrelevant that the Budweiser mark is used widely by Anheuser-Busch in other countries.

Anheuser-Busch holds the rights to the "Bud" trademark in both Portugal and Lithuania.

12 May, 2003