Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Second Chamber) of 22 June 2022 –  
Puma v EUIPO – V. Fraas (FRAAS)

(Case T‑329/21) (
[1](#t-ECR_62021TJ0329_INF_EN_01-E0001)
)

(EU trade mark – Revocation proceedings – EU word mark FRAAS – Genuine use of a mark – Use in connection with the goods in respect of which the mark was registered – Article 51(1)(a) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 58(1)(a) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001) – Proof of genuine use)

| 1. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Causes of revocation – Absence of genuine use of a trade mark – Proof of use – Genuine use – Concept – Criteria for assessment – Requirement of solid and objective evidence  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 15(1) and 51(1)(a); Commission Regulation No 2868/95, Art. 1, Rule 22(3))  (see paras 23-26, 28, 90, 120, 127) |

| 2. | EU trade mark – Procedural provisions – Probative value of the evidence – Solemn declarations  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 97(1)(f))  (see paras 39-41, 47) |

| 3. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Causes of revocation – Absence of genuine use of a trade mark – Word mark FRAAS  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 15(1) and 51(1)(a))  (see paras 66, 77, 84, 101, 116, 128) |

| 4. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Causes of revocation – Absence of genuine use of a trade mark – Proof of use – Genuine use – Concept – Criteria for assessment – Company name, commercial name or trade name  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 15(1) and 51(1)(a))  (see paras 74, 76) |

| 5. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Causes of revocation – Absence of genuine use of a trade mark – Use of the mark in a form differing by elements not altering the distinctive character of the mark – Subject matter and scope of Article 15(1)(a) of Regulation No 207/2009  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 15(1)(a) and 51(1)(a))  (see para. 83) |

| 6. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Causes of revocation – Absence of genuine use of a trade mark – Proof of use – Partial use – Effect – Concept of part of the goods or services covered by the registration  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 15(1)(a) and 51(2))  (see para. 115) |

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders Puma SE to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and by V. Fraas GmbH in the present proceedings. |

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(
[1](#c-ECR_62021TJ0329_INF_EN_01-E0001)
) [OJ C 297, 26.7.2021](./../../../legal-content/EN/AUTO/?uri=OJ:C:2021:297:TOC).

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