Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Sixth Chamber) of 16 December 2020 –  
H. R. Participations v EUIPO – Hottinger Investment Management (JCE HOTTINGUER)

(Case T‑535/19)

(EU trade mark – Invalidity proceedings – EU word mark JCE HOTTINGUER – Non-registered earlier national trade mark HOTTINGER – Relative ground for refusal – Reference to the national law governing the earlier mark – Rules governing common law actions for passing-off – Article 8(4) and Article 53(1)(c) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 8(4) and Article 60(1)(c) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001, respectively))

| 1. | EU trade mark – Appeals procedure – Action before the EU judicature – Power of the General Court to alter the contested decision – Limits  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 72(2) and (3))  (see para. 23) |

| 2. | Judicial proceedings – Application initiating proceedings – Formal requirements – Clear and precise statement of the pleas relied on  (Statute of the Court of Justice, Arts 21, first para. and 53, first para.; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 177(1)(d))  (see para. 24) |

| 3. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Relative grounds for invalidity – Non-registered mark or another sign used in the course of trade – Conditions – Interpretation in the light of EU law – Assessment by reference to the criteria determined by the national law governing the sign relied on  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 8(4) and 53(1)(c))  (see paras 37-39) |

| 4. | Judicial proceedings – Proof – Probative value – Criteria for assessment – Principles of the unfettered adduction of evidence and the unfettered evaluation of evidence  (Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 47; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 85)  (see paras 46, 53, 65) |

| 5. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Relative grounds for invalidity – Existence of a non-registered mark or another sign used in the course of trade – Use of the sign in trade  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 8(4) and 53(1)(c))  (see paras 54, 55) |

| 6. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Relative grounds for invalidity – Existence of a non-registered mark or another sign used in the course of trade – Sign giving its holder the right to prohibit the use of a more recent trade mark – Burden of proof  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 8(4) and 53(1)(c))  (see para. 79) |

| 7. | National law – Reference to national law – United Kingdom law – Action for passing off  (see paras 81, 93-95, 122-124, 141) |

| 8. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Relative grounds for invalidity – Existence of a non-registered mark or another sign used in the course of trade – Word mark JCE HOTTINGUER and non-registered trade mark HOTTINGER  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 8(4) and 53(1)(c))  (see paras 99, 109-112, 125, 136, 142, 143) |

| 9. | EU trade mark – Appeals procedure – Action before the EU judicature – Jurisdiction of the General Court – Review of the lawfulness of decisions of the Boards of Appeal  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 72)  (see para. 134) |

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the Second Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 3 May 2019 (Case R 2078/2018-2), relating to invalidity proceedings between Hottinger Investment Management and H.R. Participations.

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders H.R. Participations SA to pay the costs. |

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