62024TJ0619_INF
Judgment of the General Court (First Chamber) of 14 January 2026 –Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group v EUIPO – Kamstar (Kimkom and Kimsum)
(Cases T‑619/24 and T‑621/24)
(EU trade mark – Opposition proceedings – Applications for the EU word marks Kimkom and Kimsum – Earlier EU word mark KIMPTON – Relative ground for refusal – Likelihood of confusion – Similarity of the services – Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001)
1.
EU trade mark – Appeals procedure – Action before the EU judicature – Power of the General Court to alter the contested decision – Limits
(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 72(3))
(see paragraphs 16, 18, 68)
2.
EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Relative grounds for refusal – Opposition by the proprietor of an identical or similar earlier mark registered in respect of identical or similar goods or services – Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark – Criteria for assessment
(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))
(see paragraphs 21, 22)
3.
EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Relative grounds for refusal – Opposition by the proprietor of an identical or similar earlier mark registered in respect of identical or similar goods or services – Similarity between the goods or services concerned – Criteria for assessment
(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))
(see paragraphs 28-30, 63)
4.
EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Relative grounds for refusal – Opposition by the proprietor of an identical or similar earlier mark registered in respect of identical or similar goods or services – Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark – Word marks Kimkom and Kimsum – Word mark KIMPTON
(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))
(see paragraphs 47, 55-58, 60, 65)
5.
EU trade mark – Decisions of EUIPO – Legality – Examination by the EU judicature – Criteria
(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001)
(see paragraphs 52, 53)
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Joins Cases T‑619/24 and T‑621/24 for the purposes of the judgment;
2.
Partially annuls the decisions of the First Board of Appeal of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) of 23 September 2024 (Cases R 2369/2023-1 and R 2370/2023-1) and alters them to the effect that the oppositions to registration of the word marks Kimkom and Kimsum as EU trade marks are upheld as regards the ‘elderly care facilities’ services in Class 43 and that the applications for registration of those marks are rejected in respect of those services;
3.
Orders EUIPO to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group LLC.