62019TJ0859_INF
Judgment of the General Court (Sixth Chamber) of 16 December 2020 –Alkemie Group v EUIPO – Mann & Schröder (ALKEMIE)
(Case T‑859/19)
(EU trade mark – Opposition proceedings – Application for EU word mark ALKEMIE – Earlier EU word mark Alkmene – Relative ground for refusal – Likelihood of confusion – Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001))
1.
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 17, 18, 52)
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 – Assessment of the likelihood of confusion – Determination of the relevant public – Attention level of the public
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))
(see para. 19)
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 – Similarity of the marks concerned – Criteria for assessment
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))
(see para. 24)
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 – Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark – Word marks ALKEMIE and Alkmene
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))
(see paras 56, 59-62, 65)
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 – Whether conceptual differences may neutralise visual or aural similarities – Conditions
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))
(see para. 57)
Re:
Action brought against the decision of the Second Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 16 September 2019 (Case R 2230/2018-2) regarding opposition proceedings between Mann & Schröder and Alkemie Group.
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Annuls the decision of the Second Board of Appeal of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) of 16 September 2019 (Case R 2230/2018-2) to the extent that it dismissed the action of Alkemie Group sp. z o.o in respect of ‘dietary aids’ in Class 5;
2.
Dismisses the action for the remainder;
3.
Orders each party to bear its own costs.