Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Third Chamber) of 15 June 2022 –  
Tubes Radiatori v EUIPO – Antrax It (Radiator)

(Case T‑380/20) (
[1](#t-ECR_62020TJ0380_INF_EN_01-E0001)
)

(Community design – Invalidity proceedings – Community design representing a radiator – Earlier designs – Grounds for invalidity – Lack of individual character – Article 6 and Article 25(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 6/2002 – Freedom of the designer – Saturation of the state of the art – Overall impression)

| 1. | Community designs – Grounds for invalidity – Lack of individual character – Design not giving the informed user a different overall impression from that produced by the earlier design – Overall assessment of all the elements of the earlier design  (Council Regulation No 6/2002, Arts 6(1) and 25(1)(b))  (see paras 31, 115, 126, 128) |

| 2. | Community designs – Grounds for invalidity – Lack of individual character – Design not giving the informed user a different overall impression from that produced by the earlier design – Informed user – Concept  (Council Regulation No 6/2002, Arts 6(1) and 25(1)(b))  (see paras 32, 33, 133, 139) |

| 3. | Community designs – Grounds for invalidity – Lack of individual character – Design not giving the informed user a different overall impression from that produced by the earlier design – Criteria for assessment – Freedom of the designer  (Council Regulation No 6/2002, Arts 6(2) and 25(1)(b))  (see paras 38, 43) |

| 4. | Community designs – Grounds for invalidity – No individual character – Design not giving the informed user a different overall impression from that produced by the earlier design – Saturation of the state of the art – Relevance  (Council Regulation No 6/2002, Arts 6(1) and 25(1)(b))  (see paras 47, 67, 105) |

| 5. | Community designs – Appeals procedure – Action before the EU judicature – Modification of the terms of the dispute as brought before the Board of Appeal – Not permissible  (Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 188)  (see para. 55) |

| 6. | Community designs – Grounds for invalidity – Lack of individual character – Design not giving the informed user a different overall impression from that produced by the earlier design – Criteria for assessment – Relevant sector  (Council Regulation No 6/2002, Arts 6, 25(1)(b) and 36(2))  (see para. 59) |

| 7. | Community designs – Procedural provisions – Examination of the facts of EUIPO’s own motion – Action for invalidity – Examination restricted to the facts, evidence and arguments provided  (Council Regulation No 6/2002, Art. 63(1))  (see paras 91, 149) |

| 8. | Community designs – Grounds for invalidity – Lack of individual character – Design not giving the informed user a different overall impression from that produced by the earlier design – Representation of a radiator  (Council Regulation No 6/2002, Arts 6(1) and 25(1)(b))  (see paras 117, 129-131, 134, 136, 145) |

| 9. | Community designs – Conditions for protection – Individual character – Design giving the informed user a different overall impression from that produced by the earlier design – Overall impression not required to differ significantly  (Council Regulation No 6/2002, Art. 6(1))  (see para. 144) |

| 10. | Community designs – Decisions of EUIPO – Principle of equal treatment – Principle of sound administration – EUIPO’s previous decision-making practice – Principle of legality – Need for a strict and complete examination in each particular case  (Council Regulation No 6/2002)  (see para. 151) |

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders Tubes Radiatori Srl to pay the costs. |

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(
[1](#c-ECR_62020TJ0380_INF_EN_01-E0001)
) [OJ C 271, 17.8.2020](./../../../legal-content/EN/AUTO/?uri=OJ:C:2020:271:TOC).

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