EU court rules against Polish arms manufacturer in Asterix and Obelix trademark dispute

The rights holders of “Asterix and Obelix” (Astérix et Obélix) have won a legal case against the Polish arms manufacturer Works 11 after an EU court invalidated the company’s registration of the “Obelix” trademark for weapons and explosives.

The Court of Justice of the European Union in Luxembourg has annulled the registration of the “Obelix” trademark by Works 11 following a lawsuit filed by Éditions Albert René, the French publishing house that owns the rights to the Asterix and Obelix comic books.

The ruling means the company can no longer legally market its weapon system under the name “Obelix” within the European Union, although the decision is not yet final and may still be appealed.

The dispute began in 2022, when the European Union Intellectual Property Office registered the “Obelix” trademark for Works 11, which planned to use the name for weapons, ammunition and explosives. Éditions Albert René challenged the registration within EUIPO but lost after the office found no grounds to revoke the trademark. The publisher then appealed to the EU court in Luxembourg, where it succeeded.

The rights holders argued that the use of the comic-book character’s name by a company involved in weapons and explosives damaged the character’s reputation. The court agreed, stating that a brand linked to one of the most recognisable figures in European pop culture required protection extending beyond publishing and toys.

The judges also criticised EUIPO for overlooking numerous examples of goods — including books, souvenirs and toys — in which “Obelix” had already appeared as a registered trademark, arguing that this demonstrated the brand’s reputation.

“The fact that Obelix is usually used in conjunction with Asterix does not mean that Obelix itself is not perceived individually as a separate trademark that could have acquired a reputation,” the ruling states.

Les Éditions Albert René was founded in 1979 by Albert Uderzo. The publishing house manages the rights to the Asterix and Obelix comic books and oversees the estate of the series’ creators, René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo. It is currently part of Hachette Group.

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