62024TO0445_INF
Order of the General Court (Second Chamber) of 21 July 2025 –Gómez Jiménez and Others v EUIPO – Servei Andorrà d’Atenció Sanitària (Sistema Estructurado de Triaje SET)
(Case T‑445/24)
(EU trade mark – Invalidity proceedings – EU figurative mark Sistema Estructurado de Triaje SET – Absolute ground for invalidity – Bad faith – Article 52(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 – Action manifestly lacking any foundation in law)
1.
EU trade mark – Appeals procedure – Action before the EU judicature – Jurisdiction of the General Court – Review of the facts in the light of evidence produced for the first time before it – Precluded
(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 72)
(see paragraph 15)
2.
EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Applicant acting 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 29, 34-37, 54)
3.
EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Applicant acting 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 31-33)
4.
EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Applicant acting 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 – Extent of the reputation of the mark applied for – Unfair advantage taken of the repute of a mark or of the earlier mark
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 52(1)(b))
(see paragraph 38)
5.
EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Applicant acting in bad faith when filing the trade mark application – Burden of proof
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 52(1)(b))
(see paragraph 39)
6.
EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Applicant acting in bad faith when filing the trade mark application – Figurative mark Sistema Estructurado de Triaje SET
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 52(1)(b))
(see paragraphs 55, 56, 60-65)
Operative part
1.
The action is dismissed as manifestly lacking any foundation in law.
2.
Mr Josep Francesc Gómez Jiménez, Ms Maria del Roser García Núñez and Ms Alba Gómez García shall bear their own costs and pay those incurred by Servei Andorrà d’Atenció Sanitària.
3.
The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) shall bear its own costs.