62019TJ0588_INF
Judgment of the General Court (Third Chamber) of 24 March 2021 –Novomatic v EUIPO – adp Gauselmann (Power Stars)
(Case T‑588/19)
(EU trade mark – Revocation proceedings – EU figurative mark Power Stars – Partial revocation declaration – Partial lack of genuine use – Proof of genuine use – Article 51(1)(a) and (2) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 58(1)(a) and (2) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001) – Obligation to state reasons – Article 75(1), first sentence, of Regulation No 207/2009 (now Article 94(1), first sentence, of Regulation 2017/1001) – Right to be heard – Article 75(1), second sentence, of Regulation No 207/2009 (now Article 94(1), second sentence, of Regulation 2017/1001))
1.
EU trade mark – Appeals procedure – Action before the EU judicature – Application initiating proceedings – Formal requirements – Pleas in law not set out in the application – General reference to other documents – Inadmissibility
(Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 76(d))
(see para. 19)
2.
EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Causes of revocation – Absence of genuine use of a trade mark – Proof of use – Probative value of the evidence – Criteria for assessment
(Commission Regulations No 2868/95, Rules 22(3) and (4) and 40(5), and 2018/625, Arts 10(3) and 19(1))
(see para. 26)
3.
EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Causes of revocation – Absence of genuine use of a trade mark – Figurative mark Power Stars
(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 58(1)(a) and (2))
(see paras 37, 40, 45, 48, 63, 65, 80, 91, 108)
4.
EU trade mark – Observations of third parties and opposition – Examination of the opposition – Proof of use of the earlier mark – Genuine use – Criteria for assessment – Requirement of solid and objective evidence
(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 47(2) and (3))
(see paras 52, 53, 72)
5.
EU trade mark – Observations of third parties and opposition – Examination of the opposition – Proof of use of the earlier mark – Partial use – Effect – Concept of ‘part of the goods or services’ covered by the registration
(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 47(2) and (3))
(see para. 64)
6.
EU trade mark – Observations of third parties and opposition – Examination of the opposition – Proof of use of the earlier mark – Genuine use – Concept – Determination of a minimal quantitative use threshold – Precluded
(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 47(2))
(see para. 73)
7.
EU trade mark – Procedural provisions – Statement of reasons for decisions
(Art. 296 TFEU; Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council 2017/1001, Art. 94(1), first sentence)
(see para. 94)
8.
Acts of the institutions – Statement of reasons – Obligation – Scope – Plea alleging absence or inadequacy of the statement of reasons – Plea alleging incorrectness of the statement of reasons – Distinction
(Art. 296 TFEU)
(see para. 97)
9.
EU trade mark – Decisions of the Office – Observance of the rights of the defence – Scope of the principle
(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 41(2)(a); Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council 2017/1001, Art. 94(1), second sentence)
(see paras 102-104)
Re:
Action brought against the decision of the Second Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 13 June 2019 (Case R 2038/2018-2), relating to revocation proceedings between adp Gauselmann and Novomatic.
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Dismisses the action;
2.
Orders Novomatic AG to pay the costs.