SCOTTISH COMPANY'S TRADE MARK RIGHTS

EDM number 1694 in 1993-94, proposed by John Home Robertson on 31/10/1994.

That this House notes that Clearly Canadian, a company based in Barbados which produces bottled flavoured water in Canada, is threatening legal action to stop a small company based in Oldhamstocks, East Lothian, marketing water with the trade mark Clearly Scottish; further notes that there are many clear distinctions between the two products, apart from the fact that they come from different sides of the Atlantic Ocean; strongly objects to commercial imperialism which would inhibit the use of the word Scottish on Scottish products; deplores the fact that small innovative businesses can be faced with unreasonable legal bullying tactics by large companies which can afford to take risks with trade mark litigation; and calls on the President of the Board of Trade to take urgent action to improve the legislation covering these matters and to enable Scottish businesses to protect their names and to resist such harassment.

This motion has been signed by a total of 27 MPs.