Findexa won brand name dispute – rights to Gule Sider brand upheld by Norwegian Supreme Court

Findexa’s exclusive right to the Gule Sider® brand was upheld by the Norwegian Supreme Court. The principle in this important court ruling in the dispute between Findexa and the company Firma-Katalogen means that the Gule Sider name may not be used by any other company.

Findexa initiated legal action against Firma-Katalogen three years ago. The background was that Firma-Katalogen was selling advertisements under the names Firma-Katalogen’s Gule Sider and Firma-Katalogen’s electronic Gule Sider. Findexa won the case in the district court but lost in the Court of Appeals. Now the matter has been finally decided by the Norwegian Supreme Court.

“It has now been determined once and for all that the Gule Sider brand may only be used by Findexa and Eniro. The ruling is also very important for other companies exposed to trademark infringement that want to protect their brand names. This is without a doubt a victory for both small and large companies,” says Wenche Holen, President of Findexa and Eniro Norway.

As in Sweden, there is a warning list in Norway on which irresponsible directory companies are registered. In Norway, it is accessed at www.varslingslisten.no, while the warning list in Sweden is published by the Swedish Trade Federation (www.svenskhandel.se).