Information;Judgment — ECLI:EU:T:2023:4
Date: 2023-01-18
Language of the case: English
Court formation: Second Chamber
Subject matter: Trade marks;Intellectual, industrial and commercial property
Procedure: Action for annulment - unfounded
Origin: Cyprus

Judgment of the General Court (Second Chamber) of 18 January 2023 – Neratax v EUIPO – Intrum Hellas and Others (ELLO ERMOL, Ello creamy, ELLO, MORFAT Creamy and MORFAT) (Case T‑528/21) (1) (EU trade mark – Invalidity proceedings – EU word marks ELLO and MORFAT and EU figurative marks ELLO ERMOL, Ello creamy and MORFAT Creamy – Absolute ground for invalidity – Bad faith – Article 52(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 59(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001)) 1. Action for annulment – Natural or legal persons – Entity absorbed by another legal person – Disappearance of that entity – Substitution of the legal successor in the legal action of its predecessor (Art. 263, fourth para., TFEU) (see paragraph 28) 2. EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Applicant in bad faith when filing the trade mark application – Word marks ELLO and MORFAT and figurative marks ELLO ERMOL, Ello creamy and MORFAT Creamy (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 52(1)(b)) (see paragraphs 50-53, 60, 63, 66, 77, 78) 3. EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Applicant in bad faith when filing the trade mark application – Concept of bad faith – Scope (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 52(1)(b)) (see paragraphs 40-43, 56) 4. EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Applicant in bad faith when filing the trade mark application – Burden of proof (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 52(1)(b)) (see paragraphs 44-46) Operative part The Court: 1. Dismisses the action; 2. Orders Neratax LTD to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and Intrum Hellas AE Daicheirisis Apaitiseon Apo Daneia kai Pistoseis. 1 OJ C 462, 15.11.2021.