Ikea may block Vlaams Belang trademark use, EU court says

Ikea may be able to stop Belgian far-right party Vlaams Belang from using its trademark if the party has not shown that its freedom of expression outweighs Ikea's rights, the European Union's top court said Tuesday.

The Court of Justice of the European Union referred the dispute to a Belgian court for a final decision. It said the Belgian court should balance Ikea's trademark and property rights against the party's freedom of expression, noting that neither right is absolute.

The case began after Vlaams Belang presented its "IKEA-Plan -- Immigration Really Can Be Different" at a 2022 press conference. The presentation also used images resembling Ikea assembly instructions.

Ikea filed a legal complaint in 2023, saying its branding had been used unlawfully. Vlaams Belang argued that it could use the trademark on freedom of expression grounds, but the EU court said that argument was "not sufficient" by itself.

The court said a trademark owner with a reputation may prevent a political party from using the mark where the party has not demonstrated that its freedom of expression takes precedence over the trademark owner's rights and interests. It also said use of the Ikea trademarks may significantly harm their reputation and Ikea's interests.