Case T-445/12: Judgment of the General Court of 26 September 2014 — Koscher + Würtz v OHIM — Kirchner & Wilhelm (KW SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS) (Community trade mark — Opposition proceedings — International registration designating the European Community — Figurative mark KW SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS — Earlier national word mark Ka We — Relative ground for refusal — Likelihood of confusion — Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 — Appeal procedure — Scope of the examination to be carried out by the Board of Appeal — Proof of genuine use of the earlier trade mark — Application submitted to the Opposition Division — Refusal to register the trade mark applied for without prior examination of the condition of genuine use of the earlier trade mark — Error of law — Power to alter decisions)
Date: 2014-09-26
Institutions: General Court
Subjects: EU trade mark, medical device, registered trade mark, trade-mark law








C_2014395EN.01003901.xml










10.11.2014   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 395/39






Judgment of the General Court of 26 September 2014 — Koscher + Würtz v OHIM — Kirchner & Wilhelm (KW SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS)
(Case T-445/12) (1)

((Community trade mark - Opposition proceedings - International registration designating the European Community - Figurative mark KW SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS - Earlier national word mark Ka We - Relative ground for refusal - Likelihood of confusion - Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 - Appeal procedure - Scope of the examination to be carried out by the Board of Appeal - Proof of genuine use of the earlier trade mark - Application submitted to the Opposition Division - Refusal to register the trade mark applied for without prior examination of the condition of genuine use of the earlier trade mark - Error of law - Power to alter decisions))
(2014/C 395/47)
Language of the case: German

Parties


Applicant: Koscher + Würtz GmbH (Spaichingen, Germany) (represented by: P. Mes, C. Graf von der Groeben, G. Rother, J. Bühling, A. Verhauwen, J. Künzel, D. Jestaedt, M Bergermann, J. Vogtmeier and A. Kramer, lawyers)

Defendant: Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (Trade Marks and Designs) (represented by: A. Schifko, acting as Agent)

Other party to the proceedings before the Board of Appeal of OHIM: Kirchner & Wilhelm GmbH + Co. (Asperg, Germany) (represented by: J. Dönch, lawyer)

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the Fourth Board of Appeal of OHIM of 6 August 2012 (Case R 1675/2011-4) concerning opposition proceedings between Kirchner & Wilhelm GmbH + Co. and Koscher + Würtz GmbH.

Operative part of the judgment

The Court:






1.


Annuls the decision of the Fourth Board of Appeal of the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (Trade Marks and Designs) (OHIM) of 6 August 2012 (Case R 1675/2011-4) concerning opposition proceedings between Kirchner & Wilhelm GmbH + Co. and Koscher + Würtz GmbH;










2.


Dismisses the action as to the remainder;










3.


Orders OHIM to bear its own costs and to pay half of the costs incurred by Koscher + Würtz in the proceedings before the Board of Appeal and the General Court;










4.


Orders Koscher + Würtz to bear half of the costs it has incurred in the proceedings before the Board of Appeal and the General Court.






(1)  OJ C 379, 8.12.2012.