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ARTICLE · 10 FEBRUARY 2026

Trade Marks And Politics

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In this article, we discuss an interesting EU case that brings together trade marks and politics. What more could we ask for?

BelgiumIntellectual Property
Liézal Mostert
Liézal Mostert
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The IKEA case

In this article, we discuss an interesting EU case that brings together trade marks and politics. What more could we ask for?

Immigration

... is a significant topic in Europe. In Belgium, one of the political parties engage in this debate is Vlaams Belang, which translates roughly as 'Flemish Interests'. The party is known for their very strong views on immigration-related matters.

Controversial branding

In 2022, Vlaams Belang presented a campaign called the "IKEA-PLAN – Immigratie Kan Echt Anders" ("Immigration Really Can Be Different"). . This initiative feature the well-known IKEA trade mark and branding. The campaign was presented in the typical style of an IKEA assembly manual which includes the colours blue and yellow, a chunky typeface, and simplified cartoon figures.

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