Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Sixth Chamber) of 27 April 2022 –  
LG Electronics v EUIPO – Anferlux-Electrodomésticos (SmartThinQ)

(Case T‑181/21) (
[1](#t-ECR_62021TJ0181_INF_EN_01-E0001)
)

(EU trade mark – Invalidity proceedings – EU figurative mark SmartThinQ – Earlier national figurative mark SMARTTHING – Relative ground for refusal – Likelihood of confusion – Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001) – Translation of the list of goods covered by the earlier mark into the language of the proceedings – Genuine use of the earlier mark)

| 1. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Examination of the application – Substantiation of the application – Proof of the existence, validity and scope of the protection of an earlier registered trade mark – Extract from the EUIPO’s TMview database relating to a national mark – Included – Requirement to submit a translation in the language of the proceedings  (Commission Regulation No 2018/625, Arts 16(2) and 17(3))  (see para. 32) |

| 2. | EU trade mark – Appeals procedure – Action before the EU judicature – Decision of an EUIPO body forming part of the context of the decision of the Board of Appeal  (see para. 35) |

| 3. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Examination of the application – Proof of use of the earlier mark – Genuine use – Definition – Criteria for assessment – Requirement of solid and objective evidence  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 15(1) and 57(2) and (3); Commission Regulation 2018/625)  (see paras 55-58, 63, 64) |

| 4. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Examination of the application – Proof of use of the earlier mark – Genuine use – Use during a five year period – Consideration of evidence concerning use outside of that period  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 15(1) and 57(2) and (3); Commission Regulation 2018/625)  (see para. 86) |

| 5. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Examination of the application – Proof of use of the earlier mark – Use of the mark in a form differing by elements not altering the distinctive character of the mark – Subject matter and scope of Article 15(1)(a) of Regulation No 207/2009  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 15(1) and 57(2) and (3))  (see para. 89) |

| 6. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Relative grounds for invalidity – Existence of an identical or similar earlier mark registered for identical or similar goods or services – Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark – Criteria for assessment  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 8(1)(b), and 53(1)(a))  (see paras 98, 99, 101, 134) |

| 7. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Relative grounds for invalidity – Existence of an identical or similar earlier mark registered for identical or similar goods or services – Similarity of the marks concerned – Criteria for assessment – Composite mark  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 8(1)(b), and 53(1)(a))  (see paras 116, 117) |

| 8. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Relative grounds for invalidity – Existence of an identical or similar earlier mark registered for identical or similar goods or services – Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark – Figurative marks SmartThinQ and SMARTTHING  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 8(1)(b), and 53(1)(a))  (see paras 105, 109, 118, 123, 127, 133, 135, 136) |

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders LG Electronics, Inc., to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). |

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(
[1](#c-ECR_62021TJ0181_INF_EN_01-E0001)
) [OJ C 217, 7.6.2021.](./../../../legal-content/EN/AUTO/?uri=OJ:C:2021:217:TOC)

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