Miley Cyrus wins trademark battle with European Union

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Miley Cyrus

Miley Cyrus has won the right to use her name as a trademark within the European Union.

The singer can now use her moniker as a trademark on a wide range of products to be sold around Europe, after lawyers annulled a previous decision by the EU patent office to limit the scope of her brand.

Miley's case with the EU courts dates back to 2014, when the Malibu hitmaker sought to trademark the name 'Miley Cyrus' through her Smiley Miley Inc. company with the EU Intellectual Property Office for audio and video discs, mobile phone cases, e-books, electronic board games, calendars, and other goods.

At the time, Miley's trademark request was challenged by British Virgin Island-based Cyrus Trademarks Ltd, which had registered the mark Cyrus in 2010.

EUIPO sided with Cyrus Trademarks and cited the likelihood of confusion between the two trademarks, and although Miley appealed the decision, her company bosses failed to convince the patent office last year and subsequently they took their case to the Luxembourg-based EU Court of Justice (CJEU).

The court overruled EUIPO's decision this week, dismissing arguments that the brands could be confused, adding that the name 'Miley Cyrus' had no conceptual meaning.

In a statement, the CJEU said: "The mark applied for, Miley Cyrus, has a clear and specific semantic content for the relevant public given that it refers to a public figure of international reputation, known by most well-informed, reasonably observant and circumspect persons."