Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Eighth Chamber) of 21 February 2024 –  
Hong Kong NetEase Interactive Entertainment v EUIPO – Medion (LifeAfter)

(Case T-175/23) (
[1](#t-ECR_62023TJ0175_INF_EN_01-E0001)
)

(EU trade mark – Opposition proceedings – Application for the EU word mark LifeAfter – Earlier EU word mark life – Relative ground for refusal – Likelihood of confusion – 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 identical or similar earlier mark registered in respect of identical or similar goods or services – Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark – Refusal to register where there is a relative ground for refusal, even if limited to part of the Union  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 15-17, 55) |

| 2. | 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 – Coexistence of earlier marks – Recognition of an EU trade mark as having a certain degree of distinctiveness  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 21, 26, 92, 93, 97) |

| 3. | 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 LifeAfter and life  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 32, 46, 51, 69, 77, 83, 86, 64-96) |

| 4. | 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 – Precluded  (Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 188; European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 72)  (see paragraph 34) |

| 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 – Assessment of the likelihood of confusion – Determination of the relevant public – Level of attention of the public  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 37, 42, 45) |

| 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 between the marks concerned – Criteria for assessment  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 52, 59, 66, 74) |

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders Hong Kong NetEase Interactive Entertainment Ltd to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by Medion AG; |

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

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(
[1](#c-ECR_62023TJ0175_INF_EN_01-E0001)
) [OJ C 179, 22.5.2023](./../../../legal-content/EN/AUTO/?uri=OJ:C:2023:179:TOC).

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