Information;Judgment — ECLI:EU:T:2021:784
Date: 2021-11-10
Language of the case: English
Subject matter: Trade marks;Intellectual, industrial and commercial property
Procedure: Action for annulment - unfounded

Judgment of the General Court (Tenth Chamber) of 10 November 2021 – VF International v EUIPO – National Geographic Society (NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC) (Case T‑518/20) (EU trade mark – Invalidity proceedings – EU figurative mark NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC – Earlier non-registered mark GEOGRAPHIC – Relative ground for refusal – Use in the course of trade of a sign of more than mere local significance – Article 8(4) and Article 52(1)(c) of Regulation (EC) No 40/94 (now Article 8(4) and Article 60(1)(c) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001)) 1. EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Relative grounds for invalidity – Non-registered mark or another sign used in the course of trade – Conditions – Interpretation in the light of EU law – Assessment by reference to the criteria determined by the national law governing the sign relied on (Council Regulation No 40/94, Arts 8(4) and 52(1)(c)) (see paras 15, 16, 18) 2. EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Relative grounds for invalidity – Non-registered mark or another sign used in the course of trade – Use of the sign in trade – Concept – Use in the context of a commercial activity with a view to economic advantage (Council Regulation No 40/94, Arts 8(4) and 52(1)(c)) (see paras 17, 30) 3. EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Relative grounds for invalidity – Non-registered mark or another sign used in the course of trade – Figurative mark NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC and non-registered mark GEOGRAPHIC (Council Regulation No 40/94, Arts 8(4) and 52(1)(c)) (see paras 26, 38, 43, 44, 46, 47) 4. EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Relative grounds for invalidity – Non-registered mark or another sign used in the course of trade – Conditions – Local scope of sign (Council Regulation No 40/94, Arts 8(4) and 52(1)(c)) (see para. 31) 5. EU trade mark – Decisions of EUIPO – Principle of equal treatment – Principle of sound administration – EUIPO’s previous decision-making practice – Principle of legality – Need for a strict and complete examination in each particular case (Council Regulation No 40/94) (see para. 45) Re: Action brought against the decision of the First Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 21 May 2020 (Case R 1664/2019-1), relating to invalidity proceedings between VF International and National Geographic Society. Operative part The Court: 1. Dismisses the action; 2. Orders VF International Sagl to pay the costs.