Judgment of the General Court (Fourth Chamber) of 19 June 2019 –

Marriott Worldwide v EUIPO – AC Milan (AC MILAN)

(Case T-28/18)

(EU trade mark — Opposition proceedings — International registration designating the European Union — Figurative mark AC MILAN — Earlier EU word marks AC and AC HOTELS BY MARRIOTT and earlier EU figurative mark AC HOTELS MARRIOTT — Relative ground for refusal — No likelihood of confusion — No similarity between the signs — Lack of enhanced distinctiveness of the mark AC — Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001)

1. 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 (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b)) (see paras 16-18, 88, 103)

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 registered for identical or similar goods or services – Similarity of the marks concerned – Criteria for assessment – Composite mark (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b)) (see paras 27, 29, 32, 72, 98)

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 – Similarity of the marks concerned – Assessment of the distinctiveness of an element composing a trade mark (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b)) (see para. 28)

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 – Similarity of the marks concerned – Elements of a trade mark having a descriptive character (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b)) (see para. 30)

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 – Composite mark – Determination of the dominant elements (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b)) (see para. 31)

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 – Figurative mark AC MILAN – AC HOTELS MARRIOTT Word marks AC and AC HOTELS BY MARRIOTT and figurative mark AC HOTELS MARRIOTT (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b)) (see paras 57, 90, 92, 93, 102, 115-118)

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 registered for identical or similar goods or services – Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark – Similarity of the marks concerned – Whether conceptual differences may neutralise visual or aural similarities – Conditions (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b)) (see para. 91)

8. 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 – Composite mark – Element common to two marks having an independent distinctive role in the earlier mark (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b)) (see paras 95-97)

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the Second Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 16 November 2017 (Case R 356/2017-2), relating to opposition proceedings between Marriott Worldwide and AC Milan.

Operative part

The Court:

1. Dismisses the action;