Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Eighth Chamber) of 24 October 2019 –  
ZPC Flis v EUIPO — Aldi Einkauf (FLIS Happy Moreno choco)

(Case T‑708/18)

(EU trade mark — Opposition proceedings — Application for EU figurative mark FLIS Happy Moreno choco — Earlier national figurative marks MORENO — 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) — Substitution of the list of goods covered by the earlier national figurative marks — Rectification of the decision of the Board of Appeal — Article 102(1) of Regulation 2017/1001 — Legal basis — Previous decision-making practice — Legal certainty — Legitimate expectations)

| 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.27) |

| 2. | EU trade mark — Procedural provisions — Decisions of the Office — Rectification — Limits — Substitution of the list of goods covered by the earlier mark — Consequences — No legal basis  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 102(1))  (see paras 38-43) |

| 3. | EU trade mark — Observation of third parties and opposition — Examination of the opposition — Prohibition on ruling ultra petita  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001)  (see paras 45-47) |

| 4. | EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark — Relative grounds for refusal — Opposition by the proprietor of an earlier identical or similar mark registered for identical or similar goods or services — Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark — Criteria for assessment  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paras 50, 118) |

| 5. | EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark — Relative grounds for refusal — Opposition by the proprietor of an earlier identical or similar mark registered for identical or similar goods or services — Similarity between the goods or services in question — Criteria for assessment  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paras 54, 55) |

| 6. | EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark — Relative grounds for refusal — Opposition by the proprietor of an earlier identical or similar mark registered for identical or similar goods or services — Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark — Figurative marks FLIS Happy Moreno choco and MORENO  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paras 60, 66, 89, 98, 107, 115, 121, 122) |

| 7. | EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark — Relative grounds for refusal — Opposition by the proprietor of an earlier identical or similar mark registered for identical or similar goods or services — Similarity between the goods or services in question — Complementary nature of the goods or services  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paras 62-65) |

| 8. | Judicial proceedings — Application initiating proceedings — Formal requirements — Summary of the pleas in law and arguments relied on — Pleas in law and arguments not set out in the application — Inadmissibility  (Statute of the Court of Justice, Art. 21, first para.; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 177(1)(d))  (see paras 68-70) |

| 9. | EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark — Relative grounds for refusal — Opposition by the proprietor of an earlier identical or similar mark registered for identical or similar goods or services — Similarity of the marks concerned — Criteria for assessment — Composite mark  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paras 71, 72, 80) |

| 10. | EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark — Relative grounds for refusal — Opposition by the proprietor of an earlier identical or similar mark registered for identical or similar goods or services — Similarity of the marks concerned — Assessment of the distinctive character of an element of which a trade mark is composed  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paras 78, 79) |

| 11. | EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark — Relative grounds for refusal — Opposition by the proprietor of an earlier identical or similar mark registered for identical or similar goods or services — Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark — Weak distinctive character of the earlier mark — Effect  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see para. 119) |

| 12. | EU trade mark — Decisions of the Office — Legality — EUIPO's previous decision-making practice — Need for a strict and complete examination in each particular case  (Council Regulation No 207/2009)  (see paras 126, 127) |

| 13. | EU trade mark — Appeals procedure — Action before the EU judicature — Power of the General Court to alter the contested decision — Limits  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 72(3))  (see paras 130-133) |

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the First Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 13 September 2018 (Case R 2113/2017-1), relating to opposition proceedings between Aldi Einkauf and ZPC Flis.

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Annuls the decision of the First Board of Appeal of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) of 13 September 2018 (Case R 2113/2017-1) in so far as it refuses registration of the mark applied for in respect of the following goods: ‘coffee substitutes; tea; cocoa; cocoa products; chocolate-based beverages, all aforementioned goods also as instant form’, with the exception of cocoa as regards the latter; |

| 2. | Upholds the opposition in respect of all the goods and services referred to in the application for registration, with the exception of the services in Class 35 corresponding to the following description: ‘Retailing or wholesaling of cookie molds; wholesaling and retailing of cookie molds via the internet’; |

| 3. | Dismisses the action as to the remainder; |

| 4. | Orders each party to bear its own costs. |

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