Judgment of the General Court (Fifth Chamber) of 28 April 2021 –Linde Material Handling v EUIPO – Verti Aseguradora (VertiLight)
(Case T‑644/19)
(EU trade mark – Opposition proceedings – Application for EU word mark VertiLight – Earlier national word mark VERTI – Relative ground for refusal – No damage to reputation – No link between the marks at issue – Article 8(5) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 8(5) of Regulation (EU) 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 – Review of the legal classification given to the facts of the dispute
(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 72)
(see paras 17, 19, 45)
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 enjoying a reputation – Protection of well-known earlier mark extended to dissimilar goods or services – Conditions – Link between the marks – Reputation of the mark in the Member State or the EU – Future, non-hypothetical risk of unfair advantage or damage – Cumulative conditions
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(5))
(see paras 23-25)
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 enjoying a reputation – Protection of well-known earlier mark extended to dissimilar goods or services – Conditions – Link between the marks – Criteria for assessment
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(5))
(see paras 26, 36, 37, 85, 95, 96, 102)
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 enjoying a reputation – Protection of well-known earlier mark extended to dissimilar goods or services – Conditions – Taking unfair advantage of the distinctive character or repute of the earlier mark – Detriment to the distinctive character or repute of the earlier mark – Relevant public
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(5))
(see paras 46, 48, 49)
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 enjoying a reputation – Protection of well-known earlier mark extended to dissimilar goods or services – Aim
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(5))
(see para. 55)
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 enjoying a reputation – Protection of well-known earlier mark extended to dissimilar goods or services – Conditions – Reputation of the mark in the Member State or the EU – Definition – Criteria for assessment
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(5))
(see paras 56-59)
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 enjoying a reputation – Protection of well-known earlier mark extended to dissimilar goods or services – Word marks VertiLight and VERTI
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(5))
(see paras 94, 97-101, 103)
Re:
Action brought against the decision of the Fifth Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 5 July 2019 (Case R 1849/2018-5), relating to opposition proceedings between Verti Aseguradora, Compañía de seguros y reaseguros, and Linde Material Handling.
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Annuls the decision of the Fifth Board of Appeal of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) of 5 July 2019 (Case R 1849/2018-5);
2.
Orders EUIPO to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by Linde Material Handling GmbH;
3.
Orders Verti Aseguradora, Compañía de seguros y reaseguros, SA, to bear its own costs.