62020TJ0070_INF
Judgment of the General Court (Second Chamber) of 12 May 2021 –Metamorfoza v EUIPO – Tiesios kreivės (MUSEUM OF ILLUSIONS)
(Case T‑70/20)
(EU trade mark – Opposition proceedings – Application for the EU figurative mark MUSEUM OF ILLUSIONS – Earlier EU figurative mark MUSEUM OF ILLUSIONS – No likelihood of confusion – Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001) – Article 95 of Regulation 2017/1001)
1.
Judicial proceedings – Application initiating proceedings – Formal requirements – Identification of the subject matter of the dispute – Summary of the pleas in law on which the application is based – Lack of clarity – Inadmissibility
(Statute of the Court of Justice, Arts 21, first para., and 53, first para.; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 177(1)(d))
(see paras 21-23, 26, 27, 30, 31)
2.
EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Relative grounds for refusal – Opposition by the proprietor of an earlier identical or similar mark registered for identical or similar goods or services – Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark – Criteria for assessment
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))
(see paras 34-37)
3.
EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Relative grounds for refusal – Opposition by the proprietor of an earlier identical or similar mark registered for identical or similar goods or services – Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark – Similarity of the marks concerned – Assessment of the distinctive character of an element of which a trade mark is composed
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))
(see paras 44, 46, 76, 79)
4.
EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Relative grounds for refusal – Opposition by the proprietor of an earlier identical or similar mark registered for identical or similar goods or services – Similarity of the marks concerned – Criteria for assessment – Composite mark
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))
(see paras 45, 57, 58, 68)
5.
EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Relative grounds for refusal – Opposition by the proprietor of an earlier identical or similar mark registered for identical or similar goods or services – Similarity of the marks concerned – Elements of a trade mark having a descriptive character
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))
(see para. 47)
6.
EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Relative grounds for refusal – Opposition by the proprietor of an earlier identical or similar mark registered for identical or similar goods or services – Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark – Figurative marks MUSEUM OF ILLUSIONS
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))
(see paras 48-56, 59, 60, 67, 70, 72, 80, 81, 93-97)
7.
EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Relative grounds for refusal – Opposition by the proprietor of an earlier identical or similar mark registered for identical or similar goods or services – Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark – Enhanced distinctiveness of the earlier mark – Effect
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))
(see paras 90-92)
Re:
Action brought against the decision of the Second Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 2 December 2019 (Case R 663/2019-2), relating to opposition proceedings between Tiesios kreivės and Metamorfoza.
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Annuls the decision of the Second Board of Appeal of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) of 2 December 2019 (Case R 663/2019-2);
2.
Orders each party to bear its own costs.