Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Second Chamber) of 14 June 2023 –  
Stone Brewing v EUIPO – Molson Coors Brewing Company (UK) (STONE BREWING)

(Case T‑200/20) (
[1](#t-ECR_62020TJ0200_INF_EN_01-E0001)
)

(EU trade mark – Opposition proceedings – Application for EU word mark STONE BREWING – Earlier EU word mark STONES – Relative ground for refusal – Genuine use of the earlier mark – Likelihood of confusion – Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001))

| 1. | EU trade mark – Appeals procedure – Action before the EU judicature – Jurisdiction of the General Court – Declaratory judgments – Precluded  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 72(3))  (see paragraph 24) |

| 2. | EU trade mark – Appeals procedure – Appeals before the Boards of Appeal – Stay of proceedings – Conditions  (Commission Regulation No 2868/95, Art. 1, Rule 20(7)(c))  (see paragraphs 30-32) |

| 3. | EU trade mark – Observations of third parties and opposition – Examination of the opposition – Proof of use of the earlier mark – Genuine use – Concept – Criteria for assessment – Requirement of solid and objective evidence  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 15(1) and 42(2) and (3))  (see paragraphs 49-54, 63, 66, 73) |

| 4. | EU trade mark – Decisions of EUIPO – Legality – EUIPO’s previous decision-making practice  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001)  (see paragraph 75) |

| 5. | EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Relative grounds for refusal – Opposition by the proprietor of an identical or similar earlier mark registered in respect of 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 paragraphs 79, 80, 109) |

| 6. | EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Relative grounds for refusal – Opposition by the proprietor of an identical or similar earlier mark registered in respect of identical or similar goods or services – Similarity of the marks concerned – Criteria for assessment  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 84, 100) |

| 7. | EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Relative grounds for refusal – Opposition by the proprietor of an identical or similar earlier mark registered in respect of identical or similar goods or services – Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark – Word marks STONE BREWING and STONES  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 90, 91, 97, 103, 108, 111, 112) |

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders Stone Brewing Co. LLC to bear its own costs and to pay the costs incurred by Molson Coors Brewing Company (UK) Ltd; |

| 3. | Orders the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) to bear its own costs. |

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(
[1](#c-ECR_62020TJ0200_INF_EN_01-E0001)
) [OJ C 201, 15.6.2020](./../../../legal-content/EN/AUTO/?uri=OJ:C:2020:201:TOC).

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