Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Fifth Chamber) of 15 February 2017 — M. I. Industries v EUIPO — Natural Instinct (Natural Instinct Dog and Cat food as nature intended)

(Case T‑30/16)

(EU trade mark — Opposition proceedings — Application for EU figurative mark Natural Instinct Dog and Cat food as nature intended — Earlier EU word marks INSTINCT and NATURE’S VARIETY — Genuine use of the earlier mark — Nature of the use — Article 42(2) of Regulation No 207/2009 — Rule 22(3) and (4) of Regulation (EC) No 2868/95)

| 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  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 65)  (see para. 16) |

| 2. | EU trade mark — Observations of third parties and opposition — Examination of the opposition — Proof of use of the earlier mark — Genuine use — Concept — Criteria for assessment  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 42(2) and (3); Commission Regulation No 2868/95, Art. 1, Rule 22(3))  (see paras 23, 24, 56, 57) |

| 3. | EU trade mark — Observations of third parties and opposition — Examination of the opposition — Proof of use of the earlier mark — Genuine use — Concept — Interpretation taking account of the rationale of Article 42(2) and (3) of Regulation No 207/2009  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 42(2) and (3); Commission Regulation No 2868/95, Art. 1, Rule 22(3))  (see para. 25) |

| 4. | EU trade mark — Observations of third parties and opposition — Examination of the opposition — Proof of use of the earlier mark — Probative value of the evidence — Criteria for assessment  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 42(2) and (3), and 78(1)(f))  (see paras 39-41, 43) |

| 5. | EU trade mark — Observations of third parties and opposition — Examination of the opposition — Proof of use of the earlier mark — Use of the mark as a trade mark — Word mark NATURE’S VARIETY  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 42(2))  (see paras 64-72) |

| 6. | EU trade mark — Appeals procedure — Action before the EU judicature — Power of the General Court to alter the contested decision — Limits  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 65(3))  (see para. 88) |

Re:

ACTION brought against the decision of the Fifth Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 26 November 2015 (Case R 2944/2014-5), relating to opposition proceedings between M. I. Industries and Natural Instinct.

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Annuls the decision of the Fifth Board of Appeal of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) of 26 November 2015 (Case R 2944/2014-5) in so far as it concludes that there is no genuine use of the earlier word mark INSTINCT; |

| 2. | Dismisses the action as to the remainder; |

| 3. | Orders EUIPO to bear, in addition to its own costs, half of the costs incurred by M. I. Industries Inc.; |

| 4. | Orders M. I. Industries to bear half of its own costs; |

| 5. | Orders Natural Instinct Ltd to bear its own costs. |

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