62021TJ0358_INF
Judgment of the General Court (Ninth Chamber) of 14 December 2022 –Hotel Cipriani v EUIPO – Altunis (CIPRIANI FOOD)
(Case T‑358/21) (
1
)
(EU trade mark – Revocation proceedings – EU figurative mark CIPRIANI FOOD – Genuine use of a mark – Nature of use – Article 18(1)(a) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001 – Extent of use – Article 58(1)(a) and (2) of Regulation 2017/1001)
1.
EU trade mark – Appeals procedure – Action before the EU judicature – Jurisdiction of the General Court – Review of the lawfulness of decisions of the Boards of Appeal – Annulment or variation for reasons appearing after judgment was delivered – Precluded
(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Arts 72(2) and 95)
(see paragraph 18)
2.
EU trade mark – Appeals procedure – Action before the EU judicature – Jurisdiction of the General Court – Re-evaluation of the facts in the light of evidence produced for the first time before it – Precluded
(Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 188; European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Arts 72 and 95)
(see paragraph 19)
3.
EU trade mark – Procedural provisions – Statement of reasons for decisions – First sentence of Article 94(1) of Regulation 2017/1001 – Scope identical to that of Article 296 TFEU – Recourse by the Board of Appeal to implicit reasoning – Whether permissible – Conditions
(Art. 296 TFEU; European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 94(1), first sentence)
(see paragraphs 31, 32)
4.
EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Grounds for revocation – Lack of genuine use of the mark – Proof of use – Burden of proof
(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Arts 18(1) and 58(1))
(see paragraph 46)
5.
EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Grounds for revocation – Lack of genuine use of the mark – Proof of use – Genuine use – Concept – Criteria for assessment – Requirement of solid and objective evidence
(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Arts 18(1) and 58(1))
(see paragraphs 47-51, 97-99)
6.
EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Grounds for revocation – Lack of genuine use of the mark – Use of the mark in a form differing in elements which do not alter the distinctive character of the mark – Subject matter and scope of Article 18(1)(a) of Regulation 2017/1001
(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Arts 18(1) and 58(1))
(see paragraphs 62, 63)
7.
EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Grounds for revocation – Lack of genuine use of the mark – Figurative mark CIPRIANI FOOD
(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Arts 18(1) and 58(1))
(see paragraphs 77, 104, 114, 121-123, 149, 159)
8.
EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Grounds for revocation – Lack of genuine use of the mark – Proof of use – Partial use – Effect – Concept of some of the goods or services covered by the registration
(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Arts 18(1) and 58(2))
(see paragraphs 130-134, 147)
9.
EU trade mark – Lodging of application for EU trade mark – Identification of the goods or services concerned by the trade mark – Use of the general indications in the headings of the classes of the Nice classification – Scope
(see paragraph 157)
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Dismisses the action;
2.
Orders Hotel Cipriani SpA to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred, in connection with the present proceedings, by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and by Altunis-Trading, Gestão e Serviços, Sociedade unipessoal, Lda.
(
1
)	OJ C 338, 23.8.2021.