Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Sixth Chamber) of 25 October 2023 –  
Olimp Laboratories v EUIPO – Schmitzer (HPU AND YOU)

(Case T‑511/22) (
[1](#t-ECR_62022TJ0511_INF_EN_01-E0001)
)

(EU trade mark – Opposition proceedings – Application for EU figurative mark HPU AND YOU – Earlier EU and national figurative marks representing three hexagons – Earlier EU figurative mark OLIMP – Relative ground for refusal – No likelihood of confusion – Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001 – Family of marks – Legitimate expectations – Legal certainty)

| 1. | EU trade mark – Appeals procedure – Action before the EU judicature – Jurisdiction of the General Court – Re-evaluation of the facts in the light of evidence produced for the first time before it – Precluded  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 72)  (see paragraphs 18, 19) |

| 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 – Criteria for assessment  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 24-26) |

| 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 – Similarity between the marks concerned – Criteria for assessment  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 32, 33) |

| 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 – Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark – Figurative mark HPU AND YOU and figurative marks representing three hexagons  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 34, 41, 44, 50, 51, 59, 82, 83) |

| 5. | 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 39, 47) |

| 6. | 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 – Likelihood of association – Earlier marks exhibiting characteristics enabling them to be regarded as forming part of the same series or family – Conditions  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 79, 80) |

| 7. | EU trade mark – Decisions of EUIPO – Principle of equal treatment – Principle of sound administration – EUIPO’s previous decision-making practice – Principle of legality – Need for a stringent and full examination in each individual case  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001)  (see paragraph 94) |

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders Olimp Laboratories sp. z o.o. to pay the costs; |

| 3. | Orders Ms Sonja Schmitzer to bear her own costs. |

---

(
[1](#c-ECR_62022TJ0511_INF_EN_01-E0001)
) [OJ C 389, 10.10.2022](./../../../legal-content/EN/AUTO/?uri=OJ:C:2022:389:TOC).

[Top](#document1)