62023TJ0452_INF
Judgment of the General Court (First Chamber) of 4 September 2024 –Bela Vizago Nature v EUIPO – Bidah (bidah chaumel ingredientes naturales)
(Case T‑452/23) (
1
)
(EU trade mark – Invalidity proceedings – EU figurative mark bidah chaumel ingredientes naturales – Absolute grounds for invalidity – No bad faith – Article 59(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 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
(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 59(1)(b))
(see paragraphs 20-22, 24)
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 – Origin and use of the contested sign – 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
(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 59(1)(b))
(see paragraphs 23, 25-28)
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
(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 59(1)(b))
(see paragraphs 29, 30)
4.
EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Applicant in bad faith when filing the trade mark application – Figurative mark bidah chaumel ingredientes naturales
(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 59(1)(b))
(see paragraphs 40, 52, 53, 59, 63-67, 70, 71)
5.
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 – Extent of the reputation of the mark applied for – Unfair advantage taken of the repute of the earlier mark or of the name of a famous person
(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 59(1)(b))
(see paragraphs 50, 51, 54)
6.
Judicial proceedings – Costs – Proceedings relating to intellectual property rights – Recoverable costs – Costs necessarily incurred by the parties for the purposes of the proceedings before the Board of Appeal
(Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 190(2))
(see paragraph 76)
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Annuls the decision of the Fifth Board of Appeal of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) of 18 May 2023 (Case R 1509/2022-5);
2.
Orders EUIPO to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by Bela Vizago Nature, SL, including the costs necessarily incurred for the purposes of the appeal proceedings before the Board of Appeal;
3.
Orders Nawal Bidah to bear her own costs.
(
1
)	OJ C 329, 18.9.2023.