A fascinating dispute has been referred to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) by the Hof van beroep te Brussel - Belgium in Case C-147-14 Loutfi Management Propriété intellectuelle. The question referred to the CJEU is this:

In view of, inter alia, Articles 21 and 22 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, must Article 9(1)(b) of Council Regulation ... 207/2009 ... on the Community trade mark be interpreted as meaning that, in the assessment of the likelihood of confusion between a Community trade mark in which an Arabic word is dominant and a sign in which a different, but visually similar, Arabic word is dominant, the difference in pronunciation and meaning between those words may, or even must, be examined and taken into account by the competent courts of the Member States, even though Arabic is not an official language of the European Union or of the Member States?

 The UK Intellectual Property Office welcomes comments on this reference by not later than 28 May, if you email them to policy@ipo.gov.uk