62019TJ0520_INF
Judgment of the General Court (Ninth Chamber) of 9 February 2022 –Heitec v EUIPO – Hetec Datensysteme (HEITEC)
(Case T‑520/19)
(EU trade mark – Revocation proceedings – EU word mark HEITEC – No account taken of evidence submitted before the Cancellation Division and before the Board of Appeal – Article 95(2) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001 – No genuine use of the trade mark – Article 51(1)(a) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 58(1)(a) of Regulation 2017/1001) – Rule 40(5) of Regulation (EC) No 2868/95 (now Article 19(1) of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2018/625))
1.
EU trade mark – Procedural provisions – Revocation proceedings – Facts and evidence not submitted within the prescribed time limit – Account taken – Discretion of the Board of Appeal
(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 95(2); Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 51(1)(a); Commission Regulations No 2868/95, Art. 1, Rule 40(3) and (5), and No 2018/625, Art. 27(4))
(see paras 30-35, 67, 71, 73)
2.
EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Causes of revocation – Absence of genuine use of a trade mark – Proof of use – Genuine use – Examination by EUIPO of its own motion – Absence
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 15, 42(2), 51(1) and 57(2); Commission Regulation No 2868/95, Art. 1, Rule 40(5))
(see paras 47, 51)
3.
EU trade mark – Procedural provisions – Revocation proceedings – Facts and evidence not submitted within the prescribed time limit – Due care required by the circumstances
(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Arts 95(2) and 120(1) and (2)(c); Commission Regulation No 2868/95, Art. 1, Rule 40(5))
(see para. 78)
4.
EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Causes of revocation – Absence of genuine use of a trade mark – Proof of use – Genuine use – Concept – Criteria for assessment – Requirement of solid and objective evidence
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 15(1) and 51(1)(a); Commission Regulation No 2868/95, Art. 1, Rule 22(3) and (4) and 40(5))
(see paras 94-96, 107)
5.
EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Causes of revocation – Absence of genuine use of a trade mark – Word mark HEITEC
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 15(1) and 51(1)(a))
(see paras 108, 109)
Re:
Action brought against the decision of the Second Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 23 April 2019 (Case R 1171/2018-2), relating to revocation proceedings between Hetec Datensysteme and Heitec.
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Dismisses the action;
2.
Orders Heitec AG to pay the costs.