62020TJ0362_INF
Judgment of the General Court (Fifth Chamber) of 30 June 2021 –Acciona v EUIPO – Agencia Negociadora PB (REACCIONA)
(Case T‑362/20)
(EU trade mark – Revocation proceedings – EU word mark REACCIONA – Genuine use of the mark – Article 51(1)(a) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 58(1)(a) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001) – Existence of domestic legal proceedings – No proper reason for non-use)
1.
EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Examination of the application – Proof of use of the earlier mark – Genuine use or proper reasons for non-use – Burden of proof
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 15, 42(2), 51(1), 57(2))
(see paras 30, 31)
2.
EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Causes of revocation – Absence of genuine use of a trade mark – Concept of ‘proper reasons’ for non-use – Independent and uniform interpretation – Obstacles bearing a direct relation to the trade mark rendering its use unreasonable or impossible and independent of the volition of the trade mark proprietor
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 15(1) and 51(1)(a))
(see paras 37-40, 46-48)
3.
EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Causes of revocation – Absence of genuine use of a trade mark – Word mark REACCIONA
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 51(1)(a))
(see paras 44, 50, 56, 59, 66, 67, 70, 71, 74)
Re:
Action brought against the decision of the Fourth Board of Appeal of EUIPO of2 April 2020 (Case R 652/2019-4), relating to revocation proceedings between Agencia Negociadora PB and Acciona.
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Dismisses the action;
2.
Orders Acciona SA to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and by Agencia Negociadora PB SL.