HAVEL & PARTNERS’ experts provided comprehensive legal support to the Volkswagen Group’s largest Czech company ŠKODA AUTO in resolving disputes over the use of the ŠKODA sign. The long-standing disputes with the Škoda Group’s engineering companies, which are part of the PPF Group, ended with an agreement among all parties on the transfer of rights in the ŠKODA trademarks.

The agreement removes the conflicts regarding the use of the ŠKODA sign by several companies that have lasted for many years. Under the agreement, ŠKODA AUTO becomes the owner of the ŠKODA trademarks worldwide, which is a significant step that builds on the brand’s rich history and is also important for the company’s future development in both domestic and global markets.

HAVEL & PARTNERS provided the client with comprehensive legal support leading to the resolution of the disputes and reaching a commercial agreement. The services included strategic legal advice and litigation representation provided by a team led by partner Jan Šturm and senior associate Juraj Dubovský, intellectual property advice provided by a team led by partner Ivan Rámeš and senior associates Radek Riedl and Tereza Hrabáková. The team led by partner Jan Koval and associate Josef Bouchal also provided comprehensive transactional advisory services.

“We appreciate the trust ŠKODA AUTO has given to us to resolve this exceptional and extremely complicated legal matter in the Czech Republic,” said Jan Šturm, partner at HAVEL & PARTNERS.

ŠKODA AUTO has been part of the Volkswagen Group for 30 years, delivered more than 870,000 vehicles to customers worldwide last year, and employs 45,000 people worldwide. With this move, the carmaker is now consolidating its global brand position and marking a major milestone in the company’s development both in the Czech Republic and internationally.

The engineering companies belonging to the Škoda Group, which is owned by the PPF Group, mainly manufacture low-floor trams, electric locomotives, suburban train units, metro sets, electric buses and trolleybuses, as well as control and drive systems for transportation systems.