PRAGUE, Czech Republic -- The state-owned Czech brewery Budejovicky Budvar NP says an Italian court has banned its bitter rival Anheuser-Busch InBev from using the Budweiser trademark in that country in the latest ruling in their long legal battle over the brand name.
At the same time, Budvar says the Supreme Court allows the Czech brewer to return to the Italian market with its Budweiser Budvar lager in what Budvar director Jiri Bocek calls "a great victory."
The court's ruling means the end of two cases in which AB InBev challenged Budvar's Budweiser trademark in Italy and the right of its importers to use the names of Bud and Budweiser for selling Czech beer.
Budvar has been fighting for over a century with Anheuser-Busch over use of the Budweiser brand.
