Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Ninth Chamber) of 29 September 2021 –  
Univers Agro v EUIPO – Shandong Hengfeng Rubber & Plastic (AGATE)

(Case T‑592/20)

(EU trade mark – Invalidity proceedings – EU word mark AGATE – Absolute ground for refusal – Bad faith – Article 52(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 59(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001))

| 1. | EU trade mark – Appeals procedure – Action before the EU judicature – Jurisdiction of the General Court – Declaratory judgments – Precluded  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 72(3))  (see para. 15) |

| 2. | EU trade mark – Appeals procedure – Action before the EU judicature – Power of the General Court to alter the contested decision – Limits  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 72(3))  (see para. 16) |

| 3. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Applicant in bad faith when lodging the trade mark application – Concept of bad faith – Scope  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 52(1)(b))  (see paras 22-25) |

| 4. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Applicant in bad faith when lodging the trade mark application – Criteria for assessment – Taking into account of all relevant factors at the time of filing the application for registration – Applicant’s knowledge that a third party is using an identical or similar sign – Intention of the applicant – Degree of legal protection of the signs at issue – Origin and use of the sign in dispute – Commercial logic underlying the registration of the contested sign as an EU trade mark – Chronology of events characterising the filing of the trade mark application  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 52(1)(b))  (see paras 26, 28-30, 68) |

| 5. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Applicant in bad faith when lodging the trade mark application – Criteria for assessment – Need to prove the existence of the likelihood of confusion between the marks at issue – Precluded  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 52(1)(b))  (see para. 27) |

| 6. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Applicant in bad faith when lodging the trade mark application – Burden of proof  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 52(1)(b))  (see paras 31-33) |

| 7. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Applicant in bad faith when lodging the trade mark application – Word mark AGATE  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 52(1)(b))  (see paras 45, 46, 59, 60, 63, 69-72, 74, 97) |

| 8. | EU trade mark – Procedural provisions – Measures of inquiry – Production of documents – Discretion of the Board of Appeal  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 97(1)(c))  (see paras 51, 53, 54) |

| 9. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Applicant in bad faith when lodging the trade mark application – Proof of bad faith – Probative value of the evidence – Criteria for assessment – Solemn declarations  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 97(1)(f))  (see para. 77) |

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the Fourth Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 27 July 2020 (Case R 725/2019-4), relating to invalidity proceedings between Shandong Hengfeng Rubber & Plastic and Univers Agro.

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders Agro EOOD to pay the costs. |

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