Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Third Chamber) of 15 September 2021 –  
Albéa Services v EUIPO – dm-drogerie markt (ALBÉA)

(Case T‑852/19)

(EU trade mark – Opposition proceedings – International registration designating the European Union – Figurative mark ALBÉA – Earlier international registration designating the European Union – Word mark Balea – Relative ground for refusal – Likelihood of confusion – Distinctiveness of the earlier international registration designating the European Union – Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 8(1)(b) 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 registered for identical or similar goods or services – Assessment of the likelihood of confusion  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paras 25, 26) |

| 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 registered for identical or similar goods or services – Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark – Assessment of the likelihood of confusion – Determination of the relevant public – Attention level of the public  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paras 27, 32) |

| 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 – Similarity between the goods or services in question – Criteria for assessment  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paras 40, 41, 43) |

| 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 between the goods or services in question – Complementary nature of the goods or services  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see para. 42) |

| 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 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 para. 80) |

| 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 – Enhanced distinctiveness of the earlier mark – Criteria for assessment  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paras 81, 82, 91, 92) |

| 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 – Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark – Figurative mark ALBÉA and word mark Balea  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paras 95-99) |

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the Second Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 23 September 2019 (Case R 1480/2019-2), relating to opposition proceedings between dm-drogerie markt and Albéa Services.

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Annuls the decision of the Second Board of Appeal of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) of 23 September 2019 (Case R 1480/2019-2) to the extent that it annulled the decision of the Opposition Division, except in so far as it annulled the decision of the Opposition Division as regards ‘cosmetics’ in Class 3; |

| 2. | Dismisses the remainder of the action; |

| 3. | Orders EUIPO to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by Albéa Services; |

| 4. | Orders dm-drogerie markt GmbH & Co. KG to bear its own costs. |

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