Uría represents Value Retail on IP dispute against Open Sky

Uría Menéndez is representing Value Retail, the owner of Las Rozas Village, in court against the use of the name “The Village” by Phalsbourg in the new Madrid´s Open Sky centre

The Open Sky shopping centre in Torrejón de Ardoz (Madrid), the first outside the French borders of French company Phalsbourg, will start to build an extension of the complex in 2021 with the aim of opening an outlet named “The Village”, making it the largest leisure centre in the Community of Madrid.

But Value Retail considers “The Village” of exclusive use for Las Rozas Village (Madrid) and La Roca Village (Barcelona), both belonging to the British retail management company.

After an initial favourable ruling in Alicante’s Commercial Court in favour of Value Retail, the company has once again received the support of the courts after the Provincial Court rejected the French group’s appeal. The ruling is not final, since the French group has filed a final appeal before the Supreme Court.

Phalsbourg estimates an investment of €70 million to set up a 21,500 square metre space that will replicate another one built a few years ago in Villefontaine (France), also called The Village. It is now up to the Supreme Court to decide whether or not the Spanish version will have to change its name before it is put into operation.

Uría Menéndez advised Las Rozas Village with a Barcelona office Intellectual Property and Unfair Competitiom team led by partner Montiano Monteagudo (pictured left), together with senior associate Francisco Javier García (pictured right).