Judgment;Information — ECLI:EU:T:2023:214
Date: 2023-04-26
Language of the case: English
Court formation: Third Chamber
Subject matter: Trade marks;Intellectual, industrial and commercial property
Procedure: Action for annulment - unfounded;Action for annulment - inadmissible

Judgment of the General Court (Third Chamber) of 26 April 2023 – Pinar Kuruyemiş Gida Ve Ihtiyaç Maddeleri Sanayi Ticaret v EUIPO – Yadex International (pinar KURUYEMIŞ) (Case T‑148/22) (1) (EU trade mark – Opposition proceedings – Application for the EU figurative mark pinar KURUYEMIȘ – Earlier German word mark PINAR – Relative ground for refusal – Likelihood of confusion – Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001 – Right to be heard – Article 94(1) of Regulation 2017/1001 – Suspension of proceedings – Article 71(1) of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2018/625) 1. EU trade mark – Appeals procedure – Action before the EU judicature – Condition of admissibility – Pleas directed only against decisions of the Boards of Appeal (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 72(1)) (see paragraph 22) 2. EU trade mark – Appeals procedure – Appeals before the Boards of Appeal – Suspension of proceedings – Discretion of the Board of Appeal (Commission Regulation 2018/625, Art. 71(1)) (see paragraph 28) 3. EU trade mark – Appeals procedure – Appeals before the Boards of Appeal – Suspension of proceedings – Conditions (Commission Regulation 2018/625, Art. 71(1)) (see paragraph 29) 4. EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Relative grounds for refusal – Opposition by the proprietor of an identical or similar earlier mark registered in respect of identical or similar goods or services – Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark – Criteria for assessment (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b)) (see paragraphs 34, 35, 84, 85) 5. EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Relative grounds for refusal – Opposition by the proprietor of an identical or similar earlier mark registered in respect of identical or similar goods or services – Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark – Assessment of the likelihood of confusion – Determination of the relevant public – Attention level of the public (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b)) (see paragraphs 37, 40) 6. EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Relative grounds for refusal – Opposition by the proprietor of an identical or similar earlier mark registered in respect of identical or similar goods or services – Similarity of the marks concerned – Criteria for assessment – Composite mark – Assessment of the distinctive character of an element of which a trade mark is composed (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b)) (see paragraphs 43, 51) 7. EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Relative grounds for refusal – Opposition by the proprietor of an identical or similar earlier mark registered in respect of identical or similar goods or services – Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark – Figurative mark pinar KURUYEMIŞ and word mark PINAR (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b)) (see paragraphs 56, 66, 67, 72-77, 80-83, 89-93) 8. EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Relative grounds for refusal – Opposition by the proprietor of an identical or similar earlier mark registered in respect of identical or similar goods or services – Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark – Similarity of the marks concerned – Phonetic comparison (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b)) (see paragraphs 71, 74) Operative part The Court: 1. Dismisses the action; 2. Orders Pinar Kuruyemiş Gida Ve Ihtiyaç Maddeleri Sanayi Ticaret AŞ to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and by Yadex International GmbH for the purposes of the proceedings before the Court. 1 OJ C 198, 16.5.2022.