Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Seventh Chamber) of 28 May 2020 – Galletas Gullón v EUIPO – Intercontinental Great Brands (gullón TWINS COOKIE SANDWICH)

(Case T‑677/18)

(EU trade mark – Opposition proceedings – Application for the EU figurative mark gullón TWINS COOKIE SANDWICH – Earlier EU figurative mark OREO – Relative ground for refusal – Damage to reputation – Article 8(5) 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 enjoying a reputation – Protection of well-known earlier mark extended to dissimilar goods or services – Conditions  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(5))  (see paras 23, 24) |

| 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 enjoying a reputation – Protection of well-known earlier mark extended to dissimilar goods or services – Coexistence of earlier marks – Recognition of an EU trade mark as having a certain degree of distinctiveness  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(5))  (see paras 30, 31) |

| 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 enjoying a reputation – Protection of well-known earlier mark extended to dissimilar goods or services – Conditions – Similarity of the marks concerned – Criteria for assessment – Composite mark – Determination of the dominant elements(s)  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(5))  (see paras 34-36, 42, 45, 48) |

| 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 enjoying a reputation – Protection of well-known earlier mark extended to dissimilar goods or services – Figurative marks gullón TWINS COOKIE SANDWICH and OREO  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(5))  (see paras 50, 57-63, 118, 125, 126) |

| 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 enjoying a reputation – Protection of well-known earlier mark extended to dissimilar goods or services – Conditions – Reputation of the mark in the Member State or the EU – Evidence of reputation – Relevance of the criteria concerning genuine use of the mark to establish the existence of a reputation – None  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(5))  (see paras 69, 70, 77) |

| 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 enjoying a reputation – Protection of well-known earlier mark extended to dissimilar goods or services – Conditions – Reputation of the mark in the Member State or the EU – Use of a mark in conjunction with another registered well-known mark  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(5))  (see paras 79-83) |

| 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 enjoying a reputation – Protection of well-known earlier mark extended to dissimilar goods or services – Proof to be adduced by proprietor – Future, non-hypothetical risk of unfair advantage or damage  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(5))  (see paras 98-100) |

| 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 enjoying a reputation – Protection of well-known earlier mark extended to dissimilar goods or services – Conditions – Link between the marks – Criteria for assessment  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(5))  (see para. 102) |

| 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 enjoying a reputation – Protection of well-known earlier mark extended to dissimilar goods or services – Conditions – Taking unfair advantage of the distinctive character or repute of the earlier mark – Criteria for assessment  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(5))  (see paras 119-121, 128) |

| 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 enjoying a reputation – Protection of well-known earlier mark extended to dissimilar goods or services – Use of the trade mark sought without just grounds – Concept  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(5))  (see paras 132, 133) |

| 11. | 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  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001)  (see paras 140, 142-144) |

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the Second Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 5 September 2018 (Case R 2378/2017-2) relating to opposition proceedings between Intercontinental Great Brands and Galletas Gullón.

Operative part of the judgment

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders Galletas Gullón, SA, to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred in the present proceedings by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and by Intercontinental Great Brands LLC. |

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