Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Ninth Chamber) of 1 September 2021 –  
Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe v EUIPO – Wong (GT RACING)

(Case T‑463/20)

(EU trade mark – Opposition proceedings – Application for EU word mark GT RACING – Earlier EU figurative trade mark representing bold curved, vertical and horizontal lines – Earlier EU word mark GT – Relative ground for refusal – Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001) – Article 8(5) of Regulation No 207/2009 (now Article 8(5) of Regulation 2017/1001) – Earlier non-registered national marks – Article 8(4) of Regulation No 207/2009 (now Article 8(4) of Regulation 2017/1001) – Rules governing common-law action for passing off – No misrepresentation – Use in the course of trade of more than mere local significance – Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union and from Euratom)

| 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 31, 32) |

| 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 enjoying a reputation – Protection of well-known earlier mark extended to dissimilar goods or services – Conditions – Taking unfair advantage of the distinctive character or repute of the earlier mark – Detriment to the distinctive character or repute of the earlier mark – Criteria for assessment  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(5))  (see paras 34, 35, 103) |

| 3. | EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Relative grounds for refusal – Opposition by the proprietor of an unregistered trade mark or other sign used in the course of trade – Conditions – Assessment by reference to the criteria determined by the national law governing the sign relied on  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(4))  (see para. 37) |

| 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 – 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 40, 47, 70) |

| 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 – Word mark GT RACING – Figurative mark representing bold curved, vertical and horizontal lines and word mark GT  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paras 46, 60, 67, 69, 72, 73, 79, 88, 100) |

| 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 – Similarity of the marks concerned – Criteria for assessment  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paras 52, 53, 57, 59) |

| 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 – Objective marketing considerations to be taken into account  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see para. 58) |

| 8. | 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. 86) |

| 9. | EU trade mark – Appeals procedure – Action before the EU judicature – Jurisdiction of the General Court – Review of the lawfulness of decisions of the Boards of Appeal – Account taken by the General Court of matters of law and fact not previously raised before the departments of EUIPO – Precluded  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 65(2) and 76)  (see paras 89, 90) |

| 10. | National law – Reference to national law – United Kingdom law – Action for passing off  (see paras 110, 125, 126) |

| 11. | EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Relative grounds for refusal – Relevant date for examining a relative ground for refusal – Date of lodging the application for registration – Withdrawal of the Member State concerned from the European Union – Irrelevant  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(4) and (5))  (see paras 118-120) |

| 12. | EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Relative grounds for refusal – Opposition by the proprietor of an unregistered trade mark or other sign used in the course of trade – Local scope of sign – Criteria for assessment  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(4))  (see paras 134-136) |

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the Fourth Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 8 May 2020 (Case R 1612/2019-4), relating to opposition proceedings between Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe and Mr Wong.

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe Ltd to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). |

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