The [PostgreSQL Community Association](https://www.postgres.ca) ([PGCA](https://www.postgres.ca), aka the [PostgreSQL Community Association of Canada](https://www.postgres.ca)) wishes to provide guidance on the use of an infringing trademark on what is claimed to be a PostgreSQL community event. The event in question is hosted by Fundación PostgreSQL, which is [still defending the registration of a trademark](https://www.postgresql.org/about/news/trademark-actions-against-the-postgresql-community-2302/) confusingly similar to the PostgreSQL community’s trademark registrations.
The PostgreSQL community has guidelines on running a “[community event](https://www.postgresql.org/about/policies/conferences/),” which help organizers provide a consistent, positive experience across all PostgreSQL events. PostgreSQL events that follow the community guidelines are allowed to use the [PostgreSQL trademarks](https://www.postgresql.org/about/policies/trademarks/) following the terms of the PostgreSQL trademark policy. Fundación PostgreSQL is organizing an event that claims to follow the PostgreSQL community event guidelines, and while this event does follow most of our guidelines, Fundación PostgreSQL does not have our authorization to use trademark “POSTGRES” or any identical or similar trademark to POSTGRESQL. Fundación PostgreSQL continues to infringe upon the PostgreSQL trademarks with its use of the trademark “POSTGRES” in the event name, which is being disputed in court proceedings in Spain. Following the advice of legal counsel, the PostgreSQL Core Team, following the guidelines on [community events](https://www.postgresql.org/about/policies/conferences/), is not authorizing Fundación PostgreSQL’s ability to claim this event as a community conference. Additionally, the PostgreSQL Core Team has asked the web team to not [link to this event](https://www.postgresql.org/about/policies/news-and-events/) from the website. Fundación PostgreSQL has had multiple opportunities to drop the infringing trademarks prior to court hearings and to end the legal proceedings. However, their actions were to delay the proceedings and to drag this out when the solution is simple: to withdraw the POSTGRES trademark registration from the SPTO Office and stop using the name, and PGCA will authorize the use of any PostgreSQL community trademarks provided that Funación PostgreSQL comply with the PostgreSQL community trademark guidelines. The PostgreSQL community is willing to support Fundación PostgreSQL’s event should it end its infringement of the PostgreSQL marks and comply with the PostgreSQL community’s policies and guidelines. We look forward to the opportunity to work together amicably in helping to build and grow the PostgreSQL community.
