62022TJ0639_INF
Judgment of the General Court (Second Chamber) of 6 March 2024 –VF International v EUIPO – Super Brand Licencing (GEOGRAPHICAL NORWAY EXPEDITION)
(Case T‑639/22) (
1
)
(EU trade mark – Invalidity proceedings – EU figurative mark GEOGRAPHICAL NORWAY EXPEDITION – 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) – Relative ground for invalidity – Damage to reputation – Article 8(5) and Article 53(1)(a) of Regulation No 207/2009 (now Article 8(5) and Article 60(1)(a) of Regulation 2017/1001))
1.
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 25-27)
2.
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 – Intention of the applicant – Degree of legal protection of the signs at issue – Commercial logic underlying the registration of the contested sign as an EU trade mark – Chronology of events leading up to the filing of the trade mark application – Origin of the sign at issue and its use since its creation
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 52(1)(b))
(see paragraphs 28-33, 48, 61, 66, 71, 84, 89)
3.
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 34, 35)
4.
EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Applicant in bad faith when filing the trade mark application – Criteria for assessment – Need to prove the existence of the likelihood of confusion between the marks at issue – Not included
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 52(1)(b))
(see paragraph 44)
5.
EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Applicant in bad faith when filing the trade mark application – Figurative mark GEOGRAPHICAL NORWAY EXPEDITION
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 52(1)(b))
(see paragraphs 54, 62, 66, 72, 81, 86, 91)
6.
EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Relative grounds for invalidity – Existence of an earlier identical or similar mark enjoying a reputation – Extension of protection of the earlier mark with a reputation to dissimilar goods or services – Conditions – Link between the marks – Criteria for assessment
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 8(5) and 53(1)(a))
(see paragraphs 97-100, 104, 105, 116, 117)
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Annuls the decision of the Fourth Board of Appeal of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) of 23 August 2022 (Case R 124/2022‑4);
2.
Orders EUIPO and Super Brand Licencing SAS each to pay, in addition to their own costs, half of the costs incurred by VF International Sagl.
(
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)	OJ C 463, 5.12.2022.