Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Seventh Chamber) of 6 November 2024 –  
ChiCom Marketing v EUIPO – China Faw Group (Hongqi)

(Case T‑533/23) (
[1](#t-ECR_62023TJ0533_INF_EN_01-E0001)
)

(EU trade mark – Invalidity proceedings – EU word mark Hongqi – Absolute ground for invalidity – Bad faith – Article 59(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001)

| 1. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Applicant in bad faith when filing the trade mark application – Concept of bad faith – Scope  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 59(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 16-18) |

| 2. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Applicant in bad faith when filing the trade mark application – Criteria for assessment – Taking into account all relevant factors at the time of filing of the application for registration – Applicant’s knowledge that a third party is using an identical or similar sign – Intention of the applicant – Degree of legal protection of the signs at issue  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 59(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 19-21) |

| 3. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Applicant in bad faith when filing the trade mark application – Criteria for assessment – Need to prove the existence of the likelihood of confusion between the marks at issue – Not included  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 59(1)(b))  (see paragraph 22) |

| 4. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Applicant in bad faith when filing the trade mark application – Criteria for assessment – Taking into account all relevant factors at the time of filing of the application for registration – Intention of the applicant – Origin of the disputed trade mark – Commercial logic underlying the registration of the contested sign as an EU trade mark – Chronology of events leading up to the filing of the trade mark application  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Arts 8(2) and 59(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 23, 47) |

| 5. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Applicant in bad faith when filing the trade mark application – Criteria for assessment – Taking into account all relevant factors at the time of filing of the application for registration – Extent of the reputation of the mark applied for – Unfair advantage taken of the repute of a mark or of the earlier mark  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 59(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 24, 25) |

| 6. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Applicant in bad faith when filing the trade mark application – Burden of proof  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 59(1)(b))  (see paragraph 26) |

| 7. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Applicant in bad faith when filing the trade mark application – Concept of bad faith – Scope – No intention of using the mark for the goods or services covered by the registration – Included – Effects – Invalidity limited to the goods and services concerned by the absence of intention to use  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 59(1)(b))  (see paragraph 27) |

| 8. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Applicant in bad faith when filing the trade mark application – Word mark Hongqi  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 59(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 40, 45, 48, 51, 53-55) |

| 9. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Applicant in bad faith when filing the trade mark application – Concept of bad faith – Scope – Lack of registration or use, by a third party, of a sign identical or similar to the mark applied for – Included – Condition – Existence of other factual circumstances constituting relevant and consistent indicia establishing the bad faith of the applicant  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 59(1)(b))  (see paragraph 44) |

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders ChiCom Marketing GmbH and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) each to bear their own costs. |

---

(
[1](#c-ECR_62023TJ0533_INF_EN_01-E0001)
) [OJ C 144, 16.10.2023](./../../../legal-content/EN/AUTO/?uri=OJ:C:2023:144:TOC).

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