Judgment of the General Court (Third Chamber) of 19 September 2012 — TeamBank v OHIM — Fercredit Servizi Finanziari (f@ir Credit)

(Case T-220/11)

‛Community trade mark — Opposition proceedings — Application for Community figurative mark f@ir Credit — Earlier Community figurative mark FERCREDIT — Relative ground for refusal — Likelihood of confusion — Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009’

1. Community trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the Community 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 — Assessment of the likelihood of confusion — Criteria (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b)) (see paras 17-19, 24, 42, 45)

2. Community trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the Community 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 marks f@ir Credit and FERCREDIT (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b)) (see paras 21, 23, 43)

3. Community trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the Community 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 — Weak distinctive character of the dominant element (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b)) (see para. 26)

4. Community trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the Community 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 — Breakdown of a word sign into word elements having concrete significance (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b)) (see para. 38)

Re:

ACTION brought against the decision of the First Board of Appeal of OHIM of 3 February 2011 (Case R 719/2010-1) relating to opposition proceedings between Fercredit Servizi Finanziari SpA and TeamBank AG Nürnberg.

Operative part

The Court:

1. Dismisses the action;

2. Orders TeamBank AG Nürnberg to pay the costs.

Judgment of the General Court (Third Chamber) of 19 September 2012 — TeamBank v OHIM — Fercredit Servizi Finanziari (f@ir Credit)

(Case T-220/11)

‛Community trade mark — Opposition proceedings — Application for Community figurative mark f@ir Credit — Earlier Community figurative mark FERCREDIT — Relative ground for refusal — Likelihood of confusion — Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009’

1. Community trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the Community 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 — Assessment of the likelihood of confusion — Criteria (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b)) (see paras 17-19, 24, 42, 45)

2. Community trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the Community 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 marks f@ir Credit and FERCREDIT (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b)) (see paras 21, 23, 43)

3. Community trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the Community 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 — Weak distinctive character of the dominant element (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b)) (see para. 26)

4. Community trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the Community 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 — Breakdown of a word sign into word elements having concrete significance (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b)) (see para. 38)

Re:

ACTION brought against the decision of the First Board of Appeal of OHIM of 3 February 2011 (Case R 719/2010-1) relating to opposition proceedings between Fercredit Servizi Finanziari SpA and TeamBank AG Nürnberg.

Operative part

The Court:

1. Dismisses the action;