Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Second Chamber) of 8 September 2021 –  
Sfera Joven v EUIPO – Koc (SFORA WEAR)

(Case T‑493/20)

(EU trade mark – Opposition proceedings – Application for EU word mark SFORA WEAR – Earlier EU figurative marks Sfera KIDS and Sfera – Relative ground for refusal – No likelihood of confusion – Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001) – Proof of genuine use of the earlier mark – Article 42(2) and (3) of Regulation No 207/2009 (now Article 47(2) and (3) of Regulation 2017/1001))

| 1. | EU trade mark – Observations of third parties and opposition – Examination of the opposition – 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. 42(2) and (3); Commission Regulation No 2018/625, Art. 10)  (see paras 21-25) |

| 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 – Criteria for assessment  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see para. 42) |

| 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 para. 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 – Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark – Word mark SFORA WEAR – Figurative marks Sfera KIDS and Sfera  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paras 45, 46, 48-50) |

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the First Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 15 May 2020 (Case R 2030/2019-1) relating to opposition proceedings between Sfera Joven and Andrzej Koc.

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders Sfera Joven, SA, to pay the costs. |

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