New Swiss Army knife © 2009 Photopress AG Victorinox

Basel, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Swiss customs officials near Basel 3 August seized boxes with 558 kg of imported goods for Victorinox, one of Switzerland’s two Swiss Army knife manufacturers. Acting on a judicial complaint filed eight months ago by Thomas Minder, the boss of mouthwash maker Trybol, the customs at Muttenz, canton Basel State, held 116 boxes of bags, locks, and umbrellas made in China and Taiwan with the Victorinox logo.

Victorinox markets a number of goods that have nothing to do with pocket knives, including perfume. Production of many of these products are outsourced abroad. The pocket knives are all produced in Switzerland.

Minder, a politician and shareholder activist, best known for his popular initiative to limit executive pay in Switzerland, lodged the complaint for “violation of Swiss law governing trademarks and emblems” and unfair competition. GenevaLunch spoke to Mark Schweizer, a patent lawyer in Zurich, who explained that the law protects the use of the Swiss national emblem from commercial use, although this is currently widely disregarded.

Minder claims that Victorinox profits from the use of the symbol to sell products that are not Swiss. Victorinox has said that while its trademark is similar to the Swiss national emblem, a white cross on a red background, it is protected in 150 countries around the world.

The Swiss parliament will consider legislation later this year that will re-set the percentage of the value-added of a product that must be created in Switzerland for it to be labeled “Swiss made.” This is currently 50 percent, notes Schweizer.

Related: 20Minuten (Ger), Class46, Sonntag, (Ger)

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