Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Ninth Chamber) of 28 May 2020 –  
Ntolas v EUIPO – General Nutrition Investment (GN GENETIC NUTRITION LABORATORIES)

(Case T‑333/19)

(EU trade mark – Opposition proceedings – Application for EU figurative mark GN GENETIC NUTRITION LABORATORIES – Earlier EU word mark GNC – Relative ground for refusal – Likelihood of confusion – Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001)

| 1. | 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 paras 19, 20, 55-57, 59) |

| 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 – Figurative mark GN GENETIC NUTRITION LABORATORIES and word mark GNC  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paras 22, 23, 34, 44, 49, 58) |

| 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 – Similarity between the goods or services in question – Criteria for assessment  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see para. 24) |

| 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 – Composite mark  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paras 35, 36) |

| 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 of the marks concerned – Possibility of a visual similarity between a figurative mark and a word mark  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see para. 40) |

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the Fifth Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 11 March 2019 (Case R 1343/2017-5), relating to opposition proceedings between General Nutrition Investment and Mr Ntolas.

Operative part of the judgment

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders Mr Christos Ntolas to bear his own costs and to pay those incurred by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and by General Nutrition Investment Co. |

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