62021TJ0652_INF
Judgment of the General Court (Ninth Chamber) of 12 October 2022 –L. Oliva Torras v EUIPO – Mecánica del Frío (Vehicle couplings)
(Case T‑652/21) (
1
)
(Community design – Invalidity proceedings – Registered Community design representing a coupling for connecting refrigeration or air-conditioning equipment to a motor vehicle – Grounds for invalidity – Novelty – Individual character – Articles 5 and 6 and Article 25(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 6/2002 – Disclosure of the earlier design – Article 7 of Regulation No 6/2002 – Scope of the application for a declaration of invalidity – Earlier design produced after the filing of the application for a declaration of invalidity – Article 28(1)(b)(i), (v) and (vi) of Regulation (EC) No 2245/2002)
1.
Community designs – Surrender and invalidity – Application for a declaration of invalidity – Examination of the application – EUIPO’s competence to examine all the requirements laid down in Articles 4 to 9 of Regulation No 6/2002 – Scope
(Council Regulation No 6/2002, Arts 4 to 9, 25(1)(b), and 63(1), 2nd sentence)
(see paragraphs 29, 30)
2.
Community designs – Grounds for invalidity – Lack of novelty – Prior disclosure of identical design – Proof of the disclosure
(Council Regulation No 6/2002, Arts 5(1)(b), and 7(1); Commission Regulation No 2245/2002, Art. 28(1)(b)(v) and (vi))
(see paragraphs 52, 57)
3.
Community designs – Surrender and invalidity – Application for a declaration of invalidity based on the existence of an earlier design – Burden of proof – Requirements relating to the reproduction of the earlier design
(Council Regulation No 6/2002, Arts 52(2) and 63(1); Commission Regulation No 2245/2002, Art. 28(1)(b)(i), (v) and (vi))
(see paragraphs 56, 62, 63)
4.
Community designs – Procedural provisions – Examination of the facts of EUIPO’s own motion – Facts and evidence not submitted in time – Account taken – Earlier design produced after the filing of the application for a declaration of invalidity – Not included
(Council Regulation No 6/2002, Arts 52(2) and 63(2); Commission Regulation No 2245/2002, Art. 28(1)(b)(i), (v) and (vi))
(see paragraphs 64, 65)
5.
Community designs – Grounds for invalidity – No individual character – Design not giving the informed user a different overall impression from that produced by the earlier design – Global assessment of all the elements of the earlier design
(Council Regulation No 6/2002, Arts 6(1) and 25(1)(b))
(see paragraph 85)
6.
Community designs – Grounds for invalidity – No individual character – Design not giving the informed user a different overall impression from that produced by the earlier design – Informed user – Concept
(Council Regulation No 6/2002, Arts 6(1) and 25(1)(b))
(see paragraphs 86, 87)
7.
Community designs – Grounds for invalidity – No individual character – Design not giving the informed user a different overall impression from that produced by the earlier design – Criteria for assessment – Creative licence
(Council Regulation No 6/2002, Arts 6(1) and 25(1)(b))
(see paragraphs 88, 89)
8.
Community designs – Grounds for invalidity – No individual character – Design not giving the informed user a different overall impression from that produced by the earlier design – Representation of a coupling for connecting refrigeration or air-conditioning equipment to a motor vehicle
(Council Regulation No 6/2002, Arts 6(1) and 25(1)(b))
(see paragraphs 94-98)
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Dismisses the action;
2.
Orders L. Oliva Torras, S.A., to bear its own costs.
(
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)	OJ C 481, 29.11.2021.