Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (First Chamber) of 29 March 2017 — Alcohol Countermeasure Systems (International) v EUIPO — Lion Laboratories (ALCOLOCK)

(Case T‑638/15)

(EU trade mark — Invalidity proceedings — EU word mark ALCOLOCK — United Kingdom word mark ALCOLOCK — Relative ground for refusal — Article 8(1)(a) and (b) and Article 53(1)(a) and (b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 — Genuine use of the earlier mark)

| 1. | EU trade mark—Procedural provisions—Statement of reasons for decisions—Article 75, first sentence, of Regulation No 207/2009—Scope identical to that of Article 296 TFEU—Essential formality  (Art. 296 TFEU; Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 75, first sentence)  (see para. 13) |

| 2. | EU trade mark—Appeals procedure—Boards of Appeal—Classification as administration of the Office—Right of the parties to a fair ‘process’—None  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 62 to 64)  (see para. 16) |

| 3. | EU trade mark—Observations of third parties and opposition—Examination of the opposition—Proof of use of the earlier mark—Use of the mark in a form differing by elements not altering the distinctive character of the mark  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 15(1), second subpara., (a), and 42(2) and (3))  (see para. 22) |

| 4. | EU trade mark—Surrender, revocation and invalidity—Examination of the application—Proof of use of the earlier mark—Use by a third party with the consent of the trade mark proprietor—Burden of proof  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 15(2))  (see paras 38, 43) |

| 5. | EU trade mark—Surrender, revocation and invalidity—Examination of the application—Proof of use of the earlier mark—Use by a third party with the consent of the trade mark proprietor—Express or implied consent  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 15(2))  (see para. 40) |

| 6. | EU trade mark—Surrender, revocation and invalidity—Examination of the application—Proof of use of the earlier mark—Genuine use—Concept—Interpretation taking account of the rationale of Article 57(2) and (3) of Regulation No 207/2009  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 57(2) and (3); Commission Regulation No 2868/95, Art. 1, Rules 22(3), and 40(6))  (see paras 61, 62) |

| 7. | EU trade mark—Surrender, revocation and invalidity—Examination of the application—Proof of use of the earlier mark—Genuine use—Concept—Criteria for assessment—Requirement of solid and objective evidence  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 57(2) and (3))  (see paras 63-68) |

Re:

ACTION brought against the decision of the First Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 11 August 2015 (Case R 1323/2014-1) relating to invalidity proceedings between Lion Laboratories and Alcohol Countermeasure Systems (International).

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders Alcohol Countermeasure Systems (International) Inc. to pay the costs. |

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