The football club from Milan filed its logo in 2013 in the European Union for various products and services, among which class 43. However, the application in class 43 finds resistance, from AC Hotels, not the most usual opponent for AC Milan.

The AC-element is the most dominant element of AC Hotels and they have to keep AC-trademarks away in class 43, the most important class for AC Hotels. Besides their logo and the wordmark AC HOTELS BY MARRIOTT, their best weapon is the wordmark AC.

But the opposition is rejected. The trademarks are sufficient different. The only corresponding element is AC. According to EUIPO, “the letters AC are negligible elements due to their minuscular size and position in the middle of the other letters in the contested sign, and are not noticeable at first sight, considering also that this complex sign has other visually outstanding elements and, therefore, it is very likely that the letters AC are being disregarded by the relevant public.”

On 19 June 2019, the EU General Court ruled that the EUIPO had been correct in granting registration of the figurative sign that Associazione Calcio Milan SpA (AC Milan) had applied for. [Case T‑28/18].