Council of States calls for better protection of the Swiss brand
On Friday, the Lower House adopted a motion in which, citing the Trademark Protection Act and the Trademark Protection Ordinance, it called on the Federal Council to examine measures to protect Swiss jobs.
On Friday, the lower chamber adopted a motion in which it called on the Federal Council to examine the protection of Swiss jobs, citing the Trademark Protection Act and the Trademark Protection Ordinance. The discussion about the Swiss brand was sparked a few months ago by the cosmetics product "Juvena of Switzerland", which is manufactured in Germany but marketed as a Swiss product.
This March, the Schaffhausen-based cosmetics company Trybol called for better protection of the Swiss brand in an advertising campaign, as it had been unsuccessful in its complaint and appeal to the Fair Trading Commission against its German competitor.
The Federal Council was prepared to accept both postulates: "The issue concerns us," said the responsible Minister of Justice Christoph Blocher in the Council. However, he pointed out that a solution to the problem would not be easy: First of all, it would have to be clarified what constitutes a Swiss product - especially for companies that produce abroad. Furthermore, protecting the Swiss brand abroad is likely to be time-consuming in some countries, "and that's how long the abuse lasts", continued Federal Councillor Christoph Blocher.
This March, the Schaffhausen-based cosmetics company Trybol called for better protection of the Swiss brand in an advertising campaign, as it had been unsuccessful in its complaint and appeal to the Fair Trading Commission against its German competitor.
The Federal Council was prepared to accept both postulates: "The issue concerns us," said the responsible Minister of Justice Christoph Blocher in the Council. However, he pointed out that a solution to the problem would not be easy: First of all, it would have to be clarified what constitutes a Swiss product - especially for companies that produce abroad. Furthermore, protecting the Swiss brand abroad is likely to be time-consuming in some countries, "and that's how long the abuse lasts", continued Federal Councillor Christoph Blocher.
