Information;Judgment — ECLI:EU:T:2023:156
Date: 2023-03-22
Language of the case: English
Court formation: Seventh Chamber
Subject matter: Trade marks;Intellectual, industrial and commercial property
Procedure: Action for annulment - successful

Judgment of the General Court (Seventh Chamber) of 22 March 2023 – Coinbase v EUIPO – bitFlyer (coinbase) (Case T‑366/21) (1) (EU trade mark – Invalidity proceedings – International registration designating the European Union – Word mark coinbase – 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. EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Applicant in bad faith when filing the trade mark application – Criteria for assessment – Taking into account all relevant factors at the time of filing of the application for registration – Applicant’s knowledge that a third party is using an identical or similar sign – Applicant’s knowledge of such use in respect of identical or similar goods or services – Need to undertake an overall analysis (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 52(1)(b)) (see paragraphs 33-35, 38) 2. EU trade mark – Appeals procedure – Action before the EU judicature – Power of the General Court to alter the contested decision – Limits (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 72(3)) (see paragraph 54) Operative part The Court: 1. Annuls the decision of the Fourth Board of Appeal of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) of 29 April 2021 (Case R 1751/2020-4); 2. Orders EUIPO to pay the costs. 1 OJ C 338, 23.8.2021.