Czech brewer Budvar claims trademark victory in Portugal

PRAGUE (AP) - Czech brewery Budejovicky Budvar says a Portuguese court has upheld a previous ruling prohibiting rival, Anheuser-Busch InBev, from selling beer under the Budweiser name in Portugal.

State-owned Budvar has been fighting with Anheuser-Busch for over a century over use of the Budweiser brand name. The legal battle continued when Anheuser-Busch was taken over by Belgium's InBev in 2008 to create the world's largest brewer.

In a statement Monday, the company said the court in Lisbon - Tribunal da Propriedade Intelectual - rejected AB InBev's challenge to an earlier 2014 ruling.

Budvar says the verdict is effective, and that another legal complaint filed by AB InBev, cannot delay it.

AB InBev's didn't immediately comment but has previously said sales of its beer under the BUD brand in Portugal have held up.