Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Second Chamber) of 13 December 2023 –  
Laboratorios Ern v EUIPO – Ahlberg-Dollarstore (A’PEAL)

(Case T‑56/23) (
[1](#t-ECR_62023TJ0056_INF_EN_01-E0001)
)

(EU trade mark – Opposition proceedings – Application for the EU word mark A’PEAL – Earlier national word mark APIRETAL – Relative grounds for refusal – No likelihood of confusion – Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001 – No link between the marks at issue – No damage to reputation – Article 8(5) of Regulation 2017/1001)

| 1. | EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Relative grounds for refusal – Opposition by the proprietor of an identical or similar earlier mark registered in respect of identical or similar goods or services – Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark – Enhanced distinctiveness of the earlier mark – Criteria for assessment  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 14, 29, 30) |

| 2. | EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Relative grounds for refusal – Opposition by the proprietor of an identical or similar earlier mark registered in respect of identical or similar goods or services – Similarity between the marks concerned – Criteria for assessment  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 18, 28) |

| 3. | EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Relative grounds for refusal – Opposition by the proprietor of an identical or similar earlier mark registered in respect of identical or similar goods or services – Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark – Word marks A’PEAL and APIRETAL  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 23, 27, 34, 35) |

| 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 enjoying a reputation – Extension of protection of the earlier mark with a reputation to dissimilar goods or services – Conditions – Link between the marks – Criteria for assessment  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(5))  (see paragraphs 38, 39) |

| 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 enjoying a reputation – Extension of protection of the earlier mark with a reputation to dissimilar goods or services – Word marks A’PEAL and APIRETAL  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(5))  (see paragraphs 42, 46, 48, 50, 51) |

| 6. | 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  (Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 188; European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 72)  (see paragraph 44) |

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders Laboratorios Ern, SA and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) each to bear their own costs. |

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(
[1](#c-ECR_62023TJ0056_INF_EN_01-E0001)
) [OJ C 112, 27.3.2023](./../../../legal-content/EN/AUTO/?uri=OJ:C:2023:112:TOC).

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