"Historical" brands

The budget and finance committees yesterday approved the amendment promoted by M5S contained in the Growth Decree and then left the provision to the examination of Parliament.

According to the amendment, the owners of “historical” brands - in other words the trademarks registered for at least 50 years - that intend to close the production site due to the cessation of activities or delocalization requirements will have communication obligations to the Ministry of Economic Development and will risk sanctions up to € 50,000.00 even if not registered in the Special Register of Historic Trademarks to be set up at the UIBM.

It is not yet clear whether the rule will apply only to registered trademarks, which would lead to the consequent resistance of the Companies all to protecting their own brands, so as to avoid falling back tomorrow between companies subject to fines, or even de facto and or company names, but it seems clear, however, that the law will cause controversy, going to penalize companies that have - for at least 50 years - collaborated to make the name of Italy and Made in Italy important with their own production.