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Birkenstock sandals not protected by copyright, Germany's highest court rules

( February 20, 2025, 10:30 GMT | Official Statement) -- MLex Summary: Germany's supreme court ruled today that Birkenstock's sandal models do not qualify for copyright protection as works of applied art. In three appeal proceedings, Birkenstock argued that its sandal designs met the threshold for copyright protection, but the Federal Court of Justice rejected the claims. It upheld the Cologne Higher Regional Court's finding that copyright protection requires a sufficient level of artistic creativity beyond functional or technical constraints. Since Birkenstock did not demonstrate that its designs had been developed with the necessary artistic individuality, the claims for injunctive relief, damages and other remedies were dismissed.Press release follows....

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