Hotels Meridian v. Google France (for more information
on the lawsuit click here)
The verdict in the main procedure opposing Société des Hôtels Méridien and
Google France was handed down on March 2, 2006. The Nanterre
court of first instance heldthat Google France has committed acts of
trademark infringement within the meaning of articles L 713-2-a and L 713-3-b of
the Intellectual Property Code. The court ordered Google to
to delete from its key-word
generator, which is accessible from its website www.google.fr, any and all
reference to the trademarks “MERIDIEN” and “Le MERIDIEN”, identically or
similarly, under daily penalty of 5000 €
to publish on the first page of its website
accessible under the address www.google.fr the following legal
advertisement, under the title “JUDICIAL PUBLICATION”, for a duration of
fifteen days and under penalty of 3000 € per day, beginning 48 hours after
the notification of the present verdict: "The first chamber of the Nanterre
Court of First Instance has sentenced the company Google France by verdict
of March 2, 2006 for having infringed on the rights of the company Société
des Hôtels Méridien in the trademarks “MERIDIEN” and “Le MERIDIEN”"
The court also sentenced Google France to pay to the
plaintiff the sum of 150.000 € in compensation for the infringement.