62022TJ0221_INF
Judgment of the General Court (Eighth Chamber) of 20 December 2023 – Pharmaselect International and OmniActive Health Technologies v EUIPO – OmniActive Health Technologies and Pharmaselect International (LUTAMAX)
(Joined Cases T‑221/22 and T‑242/22) (
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)
(EU trade mark – Revocation proceedings – EU word mark LUTAMAX – 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) – Obligation to state reasons – Article 94(1) of Regulation 2017/1001)
1.
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 27-29)
2.
Action for annulment – Pleas in law – Lack of or inadequate statement of reasons – Separate plea in law from the one concerning substantive legality
(Art. 296 TFEU)
(see paragraph 30)
3.
EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Grounds for revocation – Lack of genuine use of the mark – Word mark LUTAMAX
(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Arts 18(1) and 58(1)(a))
(see paragraphs 46, 52-55)
4.
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’ – Independent subcategory of goods or services – Concept – Dietary supplements adapted for medical or dietetic use for supporting eye health – Not included
(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 58(2))
(see paragraphs 61-65, 67, 69, 70, 72, 73)
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Annuls point 2 of the operative part of the decision of the First Board of Appeal of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) of 24 February 2022 (Joined Cases R 524/2021-1 and R 649/2021-1);
2.
Dismisses the action in Case T‑221/22 as to the remainder;
3.
Dismisses the action in Case T‑242/22;
4.
Orders Pharmaselect International Beteiligungs GmbH, EUIPO and OmniActive Health Technologies Ltd to bear their own respective costs in Case T‑221/22;
5.
Orders, in Case T‑242/22, OmniActive Health Technologies to bear its own costs and to pay the costs incurred by EUIPO and by Pharmaselect International Beteiligungs.
(
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)	OJ C 237, 20.6.2022.