Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Ninth Chamber) of 12 July 2018 — Lotte v EUIPO — Nestlé Unternehmungen Deutschland (Representation of a koala bear)

(Case T‑41/17)

(EU trade mark — Opposition proceedings — Application for EU figurative mark representing koalas — Earlier national three-dimensional mark KOALA-BÄREN Schöller lustige Gebäckfiguren — Article 42(2) and (3) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 47(2) and (3) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001) — Proof of genuine use of the earlier mark — Power to alter decisions)

| 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—Not included  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 65)  (see para. 22) |

| 2. | EU trade mark—Procedural provisions—Statement of reasons for decisions—Article 75, first sentence, of Regulation No 207/2009—Scope identical to that of Article 296 TFEU  (Art. 296 TFEU; Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 75, first sentence)  (see para. 40) |

| 3. | EU trade mark—Observations of third parties and opposition—Examination of the opposition—Proof of use of the earlier mark—Genuine use—Meaning—Criteria for assessment—Requirement of solid and objective evidence  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 42(2) and (3))  (see paras 47-49, 51, 52) |

| 4. | EU trade mark—Observations of third parties and opposition—Examination of the opposition—Proof of use of the earlier mark—Genuine use—Application of the criteria to the case in question  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 42(2) and (3))  (see para. 50) |

| 5. | 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. 65) |

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the Fifth Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 28 October 2016 (Case R 0250/2016-5), concerning opposition proceedings between Nestlé Schöller GmbH & Co. KG and Lotte.

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Annuls the decision of the Fifth Board of Appeal of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) of 28 October 2016 (Case R 0250/2016-5) in so far as, in that decision, the Board of Appeal upheld the opposition for ‘pastries filled with chocolate cream; chocolate; confectionery products; pastry; cookies; crackers; edible ices; pastry and confectionery’ in Class 30; |

| 2. | Rejects the opposition brought by Nestlé Schöller GmbH & Co. KG, legal predecessor of Nestlé Unternehmungen Deutschland GmbH, for ‘pastries filled with chocolate cream; chocolate; confectionery products; pastry; cookies; crackers; edible ices; pastry and confectionery’ in Class 30; |

| 3. | Orders EUIPO to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by Lotte Co Ltd for the purposes of the proceedings before the General Court; |

| 4. | Orders Nestlé Unternehmungen Deutschland to bear its own costs. |

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