Publishers and industry argue about book fair trademark

By Mayora IP

The International Book Fair of Guatemala, known as Filgua, will celebrate its XVI edition from July 11 to 21, 2019, with the Mexican State of Chiapas as guest of honor and the Mayan poet Humberto Ak'abal as honoree. However, the use of the term Filgua is in suspense due to a conflict between the Publishers Association of Guatemala and the Chamber of Industry of Guatemala, which until 2017 organized the event together.

After the separation, the association of publishers requested the registration of Filgua as a trademark before the Intellectual Property Registry, Guatemala's IP Office. The application was opposed on July 2 by the Chamber of Industry, ten days before the opening of the XV edition of the fair, on the grounds that Filgua is an "asset owned by the industrial sector".

"The Book Fair is of the publishers, of the exhibitors that attend the invitation, of the booksellers and the public", Raúl Figueroa, president of the publishers association, told EFE news agency, highlighting his confidence that the Filgua trademark will finally be granted to the publishers.