Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Sixth Chamber) of 8 November 2017 — Pempe v EUIPO — Marshall Amplification (THOMAS MARSHALL GARMENTS OF LEGENDS)

(Case T‑271/16)

(EU trade mark — Opposition proceedings — Application for the EU figurative mark THOMAS MARSHALL GARMENTS OF LEGENDS — Earlier EU word and figurative marks MARSHALL and Marshall AMPLIFICATION — Article 42(2) and (3) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 47(2) and (3) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001) — Admissibility of the request for proof of the earlier marks’ genuine use — Relative ground for refusal — Likelihood of confusion — Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation No 207/2009 (now Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 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—Meaning—Criteria for assessment  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 15(1) and 42(2) and (3))  (see para. 21) |

| 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 paras 27, 90) |

| 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—Composite mark  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paras 31, 32) |

| 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—Criteria for assessment—Composite mark—Determination of dominant component(s)  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see para. 36) |

| 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—Similarity of the marks concerned—Assessment of the distinctiveness of an element composing a trade mark  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see para. 37) |

| 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—Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark—Weak distinctive character of the earlier mark—Effect  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paras 51, 107) |

| 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—Figurative mark THOMAS MARSHALL GARMENTS OF LEGENDS—Word and figurative marks MARSHALL and Marshall AMPLIFICATION  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paras 54, 96-99, 104-106) |

| 8. | EU trade mark—Decisions of the Office—Legality—Examination by the EU judicature—Criteria  (Council Regulation No 207/2009)  (see para. 64) |

| 9. | 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—Complementary nature of the goods or services  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see para. 82) |

| 10. | Judicial proceedings—Application initiating proceedings—Formal requirements—Identification of the subject-matter of the dispute—Brief summary of the pleas in law on which the application is based  (Statute of the Court of Justice, Art. 21, first para. and Art. 53 first para.; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 177(1)(d))  (see paras 86, 88) |

| 11. | 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—Re-examination of the facts in the light of evidence not previously submitted before EUIPO bodies—Not included  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 65)  (see para. 100) |

Re:

ACTION brought against the decision of the Fifth Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 16 March 2016 (Case R 376/2015-5), relating to opposition proceedings between Marshall Amplification and Mr Pempe.

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders Yusuf Pempe to pay the costs. |

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