The “Super Jet” Dispute: Nile Textiles v. Amyaz Import & Export

The Cairo Economic Court has stayed the lawsuit filed by Nile Textiles and Ready-Made Garments (a general partnership) against Amyaz Import, Export and Commercial Agencies and the Director of Trademarks, in the dispute over the "Super Jet" trademark, pending a final decision in Administrative Case No. 38654 of Judicial Year 61. The court reserved its decision on costs.

Case No. 68 of Judicial Year 10 (Cairo Economic Appeals) details the conflict. Nile Textiles asked the court to accept the claim in form, to declare the registration of trademark No. 205313 void for having been filed in bad faith, to strike it from the register, and to order the respondents to pay costs and legal fees.

The claimant has specialised in textiles and garments of all kinds since 2002 — as evidenced by its commercial register — and has used the mark "Super Jet" to distinguish its products for more than sixteen years, earning wide recognition across the markets, as documented by its tax and social-insurance files over many years. The respondent subsequently filed its own registration of the mark "Super Jet" under No. 205313, prompting the claimant to bring the case before the Economic Court.

A court-appointed expert concluded that the claimant was the prior user of the mark, having used it continuously since 2002. The court nonetheless declined to accept the claim because the claimant had already lodged an opposition seeking refusal of the respondent's registration and registration of the mark in its own name. The respondent, for its part, challenged the Opposition Committee's decision in Case No. 17380 of Judicial Year 65 (Administrative Judiciary), relying on its priority of filing; the court accepted that challenge and annulled the contested decision — which led the claimant to bring the present case before the Economic Court.

After both parties submitted documentary evidence in support of their positions, the court decided to stay the proceedings pending the outcome of Supreme Administrative Case No. 38654 of Judicial Year 61, challenging Judgment No. 16267 of Judicial Year 66 (Administrative Judiciary), and reserved its decision on costs.

The ruling was issued under the presidency of Judge Mohamed Gouda Mohamed Abu Zeid, with Judges Soliman Fouad Ghobrial and Mona Ibrahim El-Tawila, and court clerk Joseph Mikhail.