Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Ninth Chamber) of 9 November 2022 –  
CB v EUIPO – China Construction Bank (CCB)

(Case T‑639/21) (
[1](#t-ECR_62021TJ0639_INF_EN_01-E0001)
)

(EU trade mark – Opposition proceedings – Application for the EU figurative mark CCB – Earlier EU figurative mark CB – Earlier international registration designating the European Union – Figurative mark CB – Relative grounds for refusal – No likelihood of confusion – Reputation and enhanced distinctiveness of the earlier mark – Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001) – Article 8(5) of Regulation No 207/2009 (now Article 8(5) of Regulation 2017/1001) – Article 94(1) of Regulation 2017/1001)

| 1. | EU trade mark – Appeals procedure – Action before the EU judicature – Jurisdiction of the General Court – Re-evaluation of the facts in the light of evidence produced for the first time before it – Not included  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 72)  (see paragraphs 27, 28) |

| 2. | EU trade mark – Procedural provisions – Statement of reasons for decisions – First sentence of Article 94(1) of Regulation 2017/1001 – Scope identical to that of Article 296 TFEU – Recourse by the Board of Appeal to implicit reasoning – Whether permissible – Conditions  (Art. 296 TFEU; Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 41(2); European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 94, first sentence)  (see paragraphs 35-37, 50) |

| 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 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 paragraphs 57, 58, 79, 81, 82) |

| 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 registered for identical or similar goods or services – Similarity of the marks concerned – Criteria for assessment – Consideration of marketing circumstances – Not included  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 65, 66, 94, 95) |

| 5. | EU trade mark – Decisions of EUIPO – Legality – EUIPO’s previous decision-making practice  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001)  (see paragraph 92) |

| 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 – Figurative marks CCB and CB  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 100, 101, 106, 107, 109, 113) |

| 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 – Extension of protection of earlier mark with a reputation to dissimilar goods or services – Conditions – Similarity of the marks concerned – Criteria for assessment  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b) and (5))  (see paragraphs 119, 121) |

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders Groupement des cartes bancaires (CB) to pay the costs. |

---

(
[1](#c-ECR_62021TJ0639_INF_EN_01-E0001)
) [OJ C 481, 29.11.2021](./../../../legal-content/EN/AUTO/?uri=OJ:C:2021:481:TOC).

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