62023TJ1060_INF
Judgment of the General Court (Eighth Chamber) of 4 June 2025 –Delta-Sport Handelskontor v EUIPO – Decathlon (Diving mask)
(Case T‑1060/23)
(Community design – Invalidity proceedings – Registered Community design representing a diving mask – Grounds for invalidity – Characteristics of the appearance of a product dictated exclusively by its technical function – Article 8(1) of Regulation (EC) No 6/2002 – No individual character – Article 4(1) and Article 6(1)(b) of Regulation No 6/2002)
1.
EU designs – Grounds for invalidity – Designs dictated by their technical function – Features of appearance of a product which are dictated solely by its technical function – Criteria for assessment – Taking into account the relevant objective circumstances
(Council Regulation No 6/2002, Arts 8(1) and 25(1)(b))
(see paragraphs 27-29, 37)
2.
EU designs – Grounds for invalidity – Designs dictated by their technical function – Representation of a diving mask
(Council Regulation No 6/2002, Arts 8(1) and 25(1)(b))
(see paragraphs 39, 41-45, 53)
3.
EU 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 paragraphs 63-66)
4.
EU 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 diving mask
(Council Regulation No 6/2002, Arts 6(1) and 25(1)(b))
(see paragraphs 70-72)
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Dismisses the action;
2.
Orders Delta-Sport Handelskontor GmbH to pay the costs, including the costs necessarily incurred by Decathlon for the purposes of the proceedings before the Board of Appeal of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO).