Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Single Judge) of 30 June 2021 –  
Wolf Oil v EUIPO – Rolf Lubricants (ROLF)

(Case T‑531/20)

(EU trade mark – Opposition proceedings – International registration designating the European Union – Figurative mark ROLF – Earlier international mark Wolf – Relative ground for refusal – Likelihood of confusion – Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001) – Obligation to state reasons – Right to be heard)

| 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 – Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark – Criteria for assessment  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paras 30, 31, 69) |

| 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 para. 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 of the marks concerned – Criteria for assessment  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paras 40, 41, 48, 50, 63) |

| 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 – Visual similarity between a figurative mark and a word mark  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see para. 46) |

| 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 – Figurative mark ROLF and word mark Wolf  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paras 47, 49, 54, 58-60, 64-68, 75) |

| 6. | EU trade mark – Appeals procedure – Action before the EU judicature – Decision of an EUIPO body forming part of the context of the decision of the Board of Appeal  (see para. 79) |

| 7. | EU trade mark – Procedural provisions – Statement of reasons for decision – First sentence of Article 94(1) of Regulation 2017/1001 – Scope identical to that of Article 296 TFEU  (Art. 296 TFEU; Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council 2017/1001, Art. 94(1), first sentence)  (see para. 82) |

| 8. | EU trade mark – Procedural provisions – Decisions of EUIPO – Observance of the rights of the defence – Scope of the principle  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 95(1))  (see para. 90) |

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the Fifth Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 4 June 2020 (Case R 1958/2019-5), relating to opposition proceedings between Wolf Oil Corporation and Rolf Lubricants.

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders Wolf Oil Corporation NV to pay the costs. |

[Top](#document1)