Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Eighth Chamber) of 11 October 2023 –  
Deutsche Glasfaser Wholesale v EUIPO – O2 Worldwide (brightblue)

(Case T‑516/22) (
[1](#t-ECR_62022TJ0516_INF_EN_01-E0001)
)

(EU trade mark – Opposition proceedings – Application for the EU figurative mark brightblue – Earlier EU word mark BLUE – Relative ground for refusal – Likelihood of confusion – Similarity of the signs – Similarity of the goods and services – 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 – Criteria for assessment  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 16, 68) |

| 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 – Refusal to register where there is a relative ground for refusal, even if limited to part of the European Union  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paragraph 17) |

| 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 – Figurative mark brightblue and word mark BLUE  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 21, 34, 38, 53, 61-63, 70, 71) |

| 4. | 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 – Composite mark – Assessment of the distinctive character of an element of a trade mark  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 31, 36, 46, 49, 50, 58) |

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders Deutsche Glasfaser Wholesale GmbH to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by O2 Worldwide Ltd; |

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

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(
[1](#c-ECR_62022TJ0516_INF_EN_01-E0001)
) [OJ C 398, 17.10.2022](./../../../legal-content/EN/AUTO/?uri=OJ:C:2022:398:TOC).

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