Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Sixth Chamber) of 19 April 2023 –  
Zitro International v EUIPO – e-gaming (Smiley wearing a top hat)

(Case T‑491/22) (
[1](#t-ECR_62022TJ0491_INF_EN_01-E0001)
)

(EU trade mark – Opposition proceedings – Application for an EU figurative mark representing a smiley wearing a top hat – Earlier EU figurative mark representing a fantasy figure – Relative ground for refusal – Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001)

| 1. | EU trade mark – Appeals procedure – Action before the EU judicature – Condition of admissibility – Grounds of appeal directed only against decisions of the Boards of Appeal  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 72(1))  (see paragraphs 16, 17) |

| 2. | 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  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 29, 30) |

| 3. | 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 – Assessment of the likelihood of confusion – Determination of the relevant public – Attention level of the public  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 33, 34) |

| 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 – Similarity of the marks concerned – Criteria for assessment  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 38, 65) |

| 5. | EU trade mark – Procedural provisions – Statement of reasons for decisions – Scope – Recourse by the Board of Appeal to implicit reasoning  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 94(1), first sentence)  (see paragraph 51) |

| 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 mark representing a smiley wearing a top hat and figurative mark representing a fantasy figure  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 52, 61, 68, 69, 73-75) |

| 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 of the marks concerned – Figurative marks without word elements – Phonetic comparison  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 56-58) |

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders Zitro International Sàrl to bear its own costs; |

| 3. | Orders the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) to bear its own costs. |

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(
[1](#c-ECR_62022TJ0491_INF_EN_01-E0001)
) [OJ C 380, 3.10.2022](./../../../legal-content/EN/AUTO/?uri=OJ:C:2022:380:TOC).

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