Bulgaria Suffers Losses from Unpaid Yoghurt Royalty Taxes

Bulgarian yoghurt is very popular all over the world. File photo by BGNES

The trade mark and brand name of Bulgarian yoghurt are not protected in Europe, triggering millions in losses from unpaid dividends from foreign yoghurt makers, who are using them for their products.

The information was reported by the Bulgarian 168 Chassa (168 Hours) weekly, citing their own probe.

The loss comes from the so-called royalty taxes, which each producer in a country other than Bulgaria, using the trade name "Bulgarian Yoghurt" or "Bulgarian Yogurt" must pay while the amount depends on the produced quantities, the Bulgarian 24 Chassa (24 Hours) daily writes Thursday.

Stores in many European countries sell Bulgarian yoghurt, most often only labeled with the Turkish word "yoghurt," without paying any taxes.

The fact Bulgaria failed to protect the trade mark and the brand name of its traditional product with the European Patent Office also means the unique product is unprotected from fakes. The only real Bulgarian yoghurt is the one made from milk with the use of lactobacillus bulgaricus and streptococcus thermophilus.

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