Today, the ÎCCJ had on the table the file on the cancellation of Stella's trademarks » What Talpan requested and the FCSB's reaction

In March 2024, The Bucharest Court of Appeal rejected it as unfoundedon grounds of lack of interest, the FCSB's request to cancel all the brands in the Stella portfolio.

FCSB filed an appeal, accepted in principle by the ÎCCJ, which set the first deadline on October 21, 2025.

There are two scenarios: the High Court accepts the FCSB's appeal and quashes the Court of Appeal's decision – in other words, sends the case for retrial to the CAB -, or rejects the appeal and the 2024 decision remains final.

What happened today at the ÎCCJ, in the FCSB – CSA Steaua trademark file

The bottom line today is that we have at least two more weeks to wait for the High Court's verdict.

At today's deadline, CSA Steaua jurist, Florin Talpan, requested the recusal of one of the judges from the panel of 3.

The request of the representative of the Star will be analyzed by another panel, and if it is accepted, the appeal will be re-judged by the new panel, and in case it is rejected, the High Court will remain in judgment, and the decision will be communicated in two weeks at the earliest, on November 4.

Contacted by phone by GSP, the FCSB lawyer, Adrian Căvescu, stated:

“Although the conventional representative of the CSA recused one judge from the three members of the panel, according to the legal provisions the trial continued, with another panel to rule on the recusal request.

In the event that the appeal is rejected, the High Court of Cassation and Justice will rule on the appeal declared by the FCSB. We remind you that in this case the Bucharest Court of Appeal refused to rule on the merits of the summons and dismissed the FCSB's action as devoid of interest”.

Why did Florin Talpan request the recusal of that judge?

“Because he had been a judge before in this case on appeal, in the first procedural cycle. Then he allowed the action in part and canceled 4 of their 8 trademarks. That judge went to the High Court, he initially abstained (no – requested not to be part of the panel), but the request to abstain was rejected. That's why I think that the challenge request will also be rejected”, says Adrian Căvescu.

If the FCSB lawyer's expectations are confirmed and that judge remains part of the panel, the decision of the ÎCCJ should come in two weeks – that is in case there is no further postponement.

Adrian Căvescu, FCSB lawyer

The resolution in this file is essential for the resumption of another dispute between CSA Steaua and FCSB, the one regarding the damage requested by the Army club:

“37 million euros are being demanded under those marks! That suit is suspended pending this case. If it is rejected, the damage case is reopened. If the appeal is allowed and sent to the Court of Appeal, it will take another 2 years to hear the appeal and the appeal again.”

Why the FCSB requested the cancellation of those marks: “They registered them in bad faith!”

“We think we have our chances to win. Anything can be blamed on us, but it's not that we are uninterested. If 37 million euros is not an interest, then what interest do you have? The entire tort suit hinges on the existence of their brands. But we stated that their trademarks were registered in bad faith.

Why? Their trademarks have been registered since 2004. The High Court, in the record process, said that they no longer have active procedural status since 1998. If they no longer have [calitate procesuală] and they closed the football section, [pe care] we took it over, the generals and Talpan were coming to the matches, what is the CSA doing? Does it go to OSIM and register the brands in their name? That's bad faith.

They then registered trademarks for all product and service categories. Online stores, restaurants, hospitals, whatever. They have created a blocking brand, they say in the field of intellectual property. And you are not allowed to do that!

Neither Ferrari nor Coca-Cola registered the marks 1 to 45. When you do this, you show that you are afraid of competition, of competition, that you want to “clean up” everything“, the lawyer Adrian Căvescu also sent.

• We remind you that in 2019, CSA Steaua was deprived of the right to use four trademarks.

• The FCSB is also seeking cancellation of the following marks: the AS Armata coat of arms from 1947, the CCA coat of arms, the Citius, Altius, Fortius eagle coat of arms, respectively the coat of arms currently used by the Stella Football Section.