62019TJ0378_INF
Judgment of the General Court (Third Chamber) of 18 November 2020 –Topcart v EUIPO – Carl International (TC CARL)
(Case T‑378/19)
(EU trade mark – Opposition proceedings – Application for EU word mark TC CARL – Earlier national figurative mark CARL TOUCH – 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 – Appeals procedure – Action before the EU judicature – Jurisdiction of the General Court – Review of the lawfulness of decisions of the Boards of Appeal – Re-examination of the facts in the light of evidence not previously submitted before EUIPO bodies – Precluded
(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 72)
(see para. 23)
2.
Acts of the institutions – Temporal application – Application of the substantive law in force at the time of the application for the registration of a trade mark
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))
(see para. 27)
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 – Criteria for assessment
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))
(see paras 28-31, 77, 83, 86)
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 mark TC CARL and figurative mark CARL TOUCH
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))
(see paras 43, 50, 53, 74, 80, 89, 95)
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 – Criteria for assessment
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))
(see paras 44-47, 59-62, 64)
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 – Weak distinctive character of the earlier mark – Effect
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))
(see para. 78)
Re:
Action brought against the decision of the Second Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 2 April 2019 (Case R 1617/2018-2), relating to opposition proceedings between Carl International and Topcart.
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Dismisses the action;
2.
Orders Topcart GmbH to pay the costs.