After a big win for Google on the trademark bidding issue in the US, the France courts have dealt them a blow over seas. A French court has ruled that Google must refrain from using the trademarks of European resort chain Le Meridian Hotels and Resorts to trigger keyword ads.

Google said it would appeal the decision saying it is without merit, but the court gave Google little time to comply.

It will be an ongoing challenge for Google to maintain different policies in different regions. If they keep getting hit overseas, they might need to rethink their policy on a global level for consistency.