Information;Judgment — ECLI:EU:T:2025:1045
Date: 2025-11-19
Language of the case: English
Court formation: First Chamber
Procedure: Action for annulment
Origin: Bulgaria

Judgment of the General Court (First Chamber) of 19 November 2025 – Vassilev & Chisuse v EUIPO – Vayanos Kostopoulos (VC LAW) (Case T‑524/24) ( EU trade mark – Opposition proceedings – Application for EU figurative mark VC LAW – Earlier EU word mark vklaw – Relative ground for refusal – Likelihood of confusion – Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001 ) 1. EU trade mark – Appeals procedure – Action before the EU judicature – Jurisdiction of the General Court – Directions issued to EUIPO – Precluded (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 72(6)) (see paragraph 13) 2. 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 16, 17, 57) 3. 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 – Level of attention of the public (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b)) (see paragraph 19) 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 – Similarity between the marks concerned – Criteria for assessment (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b)) (see paragraphs 25-27) 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 – Similarity between the marks concerned – Criteria for assessment – Composite mark – Assessment of the distinctive character of an element of a trade mark (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b)) (see paragraphs 31-33, 36, 47) 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 – Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark – Figurative mark VC LAW and word mark vklaw (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b)) (see paragraphs 34, 38, 39, 41, 46, 51, 52, 56, 63, 64, 67) 7. 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 69) Operative part The Court: 1. Annuls the decision of the First Board of Appeal of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) of 12 August 2024 (Case R 0588/2023-1) in so far as it concerns goods and service in Classes 16, 35 and 45 of the Nice Agreement Concerning the International Classification of Goods and Services for the Purposes of the Registration of Marks of 15 June 1957, as revised and amended, corresponding, for each of those classes, to the following description: – Class 16: ‘Law reports; Legal journals; Professional magazines’; – Class 35: ‘Operation of businesses [for others]; Business meeting planning; Assistance in business management within the framework of a franchise contract; Provision of assistance [business] in the operation of franchises; Business assistance relating to franchising; Assistance, advisory services and consultancy with regard to business organization; Providing assistance in the field of business organisation; Business management assistance for industrial or commercial companies; Providing assistance in the management of industrial or commercial enterprises; Management assistance to commercial companies; Assistance with business planning; Business administration and management; Professional consultancy relating to business management; Business management assistance; Advisory services for business management; Management assistance in the establishment of commercial undertakings; Planning concerning business management, namely, searching for partners for amalgamations and business take-overs as well as for business establishments; Efficiency experts; Business efficiency expert services; Business efficiency advice; Business inquiries; Business management consultancy; Assistance and advice regarding business management; Business management and organization consultancy; Operational business assistance to enterprises; Assistance and consultancy relating to business management and organisation; Assistance to industrial enterprises in the conduct of their business; Providing assistance in the field of business management; Providing assistance in the management of business activities; Management assistance for industrial organisations; Commercial assistance in business management; Business organization and operation consultancy; Advice relating to the organisation and management of business; Assistance and advice regarding business organisation and management; Business planning services; Business planning consultancy; Providing assistance in the field of business management and planning; Business acquisitions; Acquisition (Business -) searches; Business acquisitions consultation; Business management services relating to the acquisition of businesses; Business merger consultation; Business management services relating to the development of businesses; Career networking services; Online business networking services; Business organization consultancy; Assistance relating to business organisation; Business process re-engineering; Business process management; Business process management and consulting; Business project management services for construction projects; Writing of business project reports; Writing of business project studies; Management of business projects [for others]; Business relocation consulting; Business risk assessment services; Business risk management services; Risk management consultancy [business]; Advisory services relating to business risk management; Provision of business information relating to joint ventures; Business management and enterprise organization consultancy; Consultancy services regarding business strategies; Strategic business planning; Business strategy services; Business strategy development services; Business strategy and planning services; Commercial administration of the licensing of the goods and services of others; Commercial management; Business assistance, management and administrative services; Business assistance relating to business image; Corporate management consultancy; Management administration of commercial undertakings; Management and operation assistance to commercial businesses; Operation of commercial businesses [for others]; Consultations relating to business disposals; Commercial or industrial management assistance; Assistance to commercial enterprises in the management of their business; Business management advisory services relating to commercial enterprises; Advising commercial enterprises in the conduct of their business; Assistance to industrial or commercial enterprises in the running of their business; Business management organisation; Business brokerage services; Negotiation of commercial transactions for third parties; Management assistance in business affairs; Business advice relating to disposals; Administration of foreign business affairs; Assistance and advice regarding business organization; Business assistance relating to the establishment of franchises; Provision of assistance [business] in the establishment of franchises; Help in the management of business affairs or commercial functions of an industrial or commercial enterprise; Providing business management start-up support for other businesses; Preparation of documents relating to business; Consultancy relating to business document management; Preparation of audio and/or visual displays for businesses; Preparation of annual returns for business undertakings; Arranging of presentations for business purposes; Administrative data processing; Data processing for the collection of data for business purposes; Consulting in sales techniques and sales programmes; Information about sales methods; Benchmarking (evaluation of business organisation practices); Administration relating to business appraisal; Business organisation advice; Business advice relating to franchising; Business advice relating to financial re-organisation; Business advice relating to marketing; Marketing advice; Advice relating to the sale of businesses; Business management advisory services relating to franchising; Business advisory services relating to business liquidations; Assistance, advisory services and consultancy with regard to business analysis; Assistance, advisory services and consultancy with regard to business planning’; and – Class 45: ‘Consultancy relating to trade mark protection; Legal services relating to the registration of trade marks; Professional legal consultations relating to franchising; Legal advice relating to franchising; Consultancy services relating to the legal aspects of franchising; Industrial property consultancy; Industrial property management; Legal services for procedures relating to industrial property rights; Legal services relating to company formation and registration; Legal services relating to the acquisition of intellectual property; Licensing [legal services] in the framework of software publishing; Providing information in the field of intellectual property; Providing information on agencies for copyright licensing; Providing information on industrial property rights; Intellectual property services; Intellectual property consultancy; Advisory services relating to intellectual property rights; Copyright management consultation; Consultancy relating to copyright protection; Legal consultancy relating to intellectual property rights; Legal mediation services; Legal compliance auditing; Regulatory compliance auditing; Advisory services relating to intellectual property licensing; Advisory services relating to intellectual property protection; Legal services relating to the negotiation and drafting of contracts relating to intellectual property rights; Advisory services relating to patents; Arbitration services relating to industrial relations; Company registration services; Consultancy relating to computer software licensing; Copyright protection; Consultancy relating to industrial property rights; Consultancy relating to intellectual property management; Consultancy relating to patent licensing; Consultancy relating to patent protection; Consultancy relating to the licensing of intellectual property; Consultancy relating to the management of intellectual property and copyright; Consultancy relating to the protection of geographical indications; Consultancy relating to the protection of industrial designs; Consultancy relating to the protection of new plant varieties; Consultancy relating to trade mark licensing’; 2. Dismisses the action as to the remainder; 3. Orders Vassilev & Chisuse Law Firm, EUIPO and Vayanos Kostopoulos Law Firm each to bear their own costs.