European Union Office Rules Against ITV in Pasapalabra Trademark Dispute

A fresh legal battle has emerged regarding the television game show Pasapalabra, as European authorities have sided with Mediaset in a long-standing trademark dispute. The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) dismissed an appeal filed by ITV Studios against an earlier decision that annulled the trademark registration originally obtained by the British production company in 2009.

According to the EUIPO Board of Appeal, ITV acted in bad faith when it sought to monopolize the name across the European Union, including in Italy. The regulatory body noted that the British company was fully aware of the pre-existing Italian adaptation, Passaparola, which had been produced by Reti Televisive Italiane (RTI), a subsidiary of the Mediaset group, between 1999 and 2008. The decision concluded that ITV's registration was designed to secure exclusive rights over a denomination that could harm its former commercial partner.

The origins of the format date back to the British creation The Alphabet Game, developed by Andrew O'Connor, Mark Maxwell-Smith, and Rebecca Thornhill, which premiered on the BBC in 1996 and is distributed internationally by ITV Studios. Over the years, local adaptations spread across Europe, with the Spanish version launching in the year 2000 on Antena 3 before moving to Telecinco in 2007, and later returning to Antena 3 following a 2019 legal dispute over broadcasting rights.

While this EUIPO ruling represents a significant victory for Mediaset in its quest for ownership of the program's title, the decision is not yet definitive. ITV Studios retains the right to appeal the ruling before the General Court of the European Union, meaning the legal proceedings will continue.

If the nullification of the trademark is ultimately confirmed, it could force Atresmedia—which currently broadcasts the Spanish version hosted by Roberto Leal—to renegotiate usage terms for the title or risk losing the right to use the name Pasapalabra. However, the current ruling does not force an immediate withdrawal of the show from the television schedule or a forced name change.

Meanwhile, the television format continues to thrive on the airwaves. Iván de Pineda, the longtime host and producer of the show in Argentina, recently highlighted the remarkable adaptability of the program as it returned to its daily primetime slot on Telefe. Having completed over 1,300 episodes across 11 seasons in Argentina, the show maintains high ratings and continues to engage diverse audiences ranging from school children to seasoned celebrities.