Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Ninth Chamber) of 13 October 2021 –  
M. I. Industries v EUIPO – Natural Instinct (INSTINCT)

(Case T‑1/20)

(EU trade mark – Revocation proceedings – EU word mark INSTINCT – No genuine use of the trade mark – Extent of use – Overall assessment of the evidence – Article 51(1)(a) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 58(1)(a) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001))

| 1. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Causes of revocation – Absence of genuine use of a trade mark – Proof of use – Genuine use – Meaning – Criteria for assessment  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 15(1) and 51(1)(a))  (see paras 27-32, 34, 35, 83) |

| 2. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Causes of revocation – Absence of genuine use of a trade mark – Proof of use – Genuine use – Meaning – Determination of a minimal quantitative use threshold – Precluded  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 15(1) and 51(1)(a))  (see para. 33) |

| 3. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Causes of revocation – Absence of genuine use of a trade mark – Proof of use – Genuine use – Use during a five year period – Consideration of evidence concerning use outside of that period – Conditions  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 15(1) and 51(1)(a))  (see paras 44, 45, 49) |

| 4. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Causes of revocation – Absence of genuine use of a trade mark – Word mark INSTINCT  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 15(1) and 51(1)(a))  (see paras 51, 56, 59, 67, 90, 93) |

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the Fifth Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 28 October 2019 (Case R 178/2019-5), relating to revocation proceedings between Natural Instinct and M.I. Industries.

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders M.I. Industries, Inc. to pay the costs. |

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