Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Eighth Chamber) of 1 March 2018 — Altunis v EUIPO — Hotel Cipriani (CIPRIANI)

(Case T‑438/16)

(EU trade mark — Opposition proceedings — International registration designating the European Union — Word mark CIPRIANI — Earlier EU word mark HOTEL CIPRIANI — Genuine use of the earlier mark — Article 42(2) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 47(2) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001) — Relative ground for refusal — Likelihood of confusion — Similarity of the goods and services — Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation No 207/2009 (now Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation 2017/1001))

| 1. | EU trade mark—Observations of third parties and opposition—Examination of the opposition—Proof of use of the earlier mark—Genuine use—Meaning—Interpretation taking account of the rationale of Article 42(2) and (3) of Regulation No 207/2009  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, tenth recital and Art. 42(2) and (3); Commission Regulation No 2868/95, Art. 1, Rule 22(3))  (see para. 19) |

| 2. | EU trade mark—Observations of third parties and opposition—Examination of the opposition—Proof of use of the earlier mark—Genuine use—Meaning—Criteria for assessment—Requirement of solid and objective evidence  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 42(2) and (3); Commission Regulation No 2868/95, Art. 1, Rule 22(3))  (see paras 20-22, 31) |

| 3. | EU trade mark—Observations of third parties and opposition—Examination of the opposition—Proof of use of the earlier mark—Genuine use—Application of the criteria to the case in question  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 42(2) and (3))  (see para. 23) |

| 4. | EU trade mark—Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark—Assessment of the registrability of a sign—EU rules only taken into account—Decisions of national authorities not binding EU bodies  (Council Regulation No 207/2009)  (see para. 37) |

| 5. | EU trade mark—Observations of third parties and opposition—Examination of the opposition—Proof of use of the earlier mark—Simultaneous use of several signs  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 42(2) and (3))  (see para. 40) |

| 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—Criteria for assessment  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paras 43, 66) |

| 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—Similarity between the goods or services in question—Criteria for assessment—Complementary nature of the goods or services  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paras 48, 49) |

| 8. | EU trade mark—Decisions of the Office—Legality—Examination by the EU judicature—Criteria  (Council Regulation No 207/2009)  (see para. 56) |

| 9. | 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—Word marks CIPRIANI and HOTEL CIPRIANI  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paras 61, 65, 71-75) |

| 10. | 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  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see para. 62) |

| 11. | Judicial proceedings—Application initiating proceedings—Formal requirements—Identification of the subject-matter of the dispute—Brief summary of the pleas in law on which the application is based  (Statute of the Court of Justice, Art. 21, first para.; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 177(1)(d))  (see para. 82) |

Re:

ACTION brought against the decision of the Fourth Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 7 June 2016 (Case R 1889/2015-4), relating to opposition proceedings between Hotel Cipriani and Altunis-Trading, Gestão e Serviços,

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders Altunis-Trading, Gestão e Serviços, Lda to pay the costs. |

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