Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (First Chamber) of 6 November 2024 –  
Consejo Regulador ‘Aceite de Jaén’ v EUIPO – Agrícola La Loma (VEGA DEL OBISPO BIO Jaén PRODUCTOS ECOLÓGICOS)

(Case T‑425/23)

(EU trade mark – Invalidity proceedings – EU figurative mark VEGA DEL OBISPO BIO Jaén PRODUCTOS ECOLOGICOS – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Article 7(1)(f), (g) and (j) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001 – Admissibility of the evidence submitted for the first time before the Board of Appeal – Article 95(1) and (2) of Regulation 2017/1001 – Article 27(4) of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2018/625 – Right to be heard – Article 94(1), second sentence, of Regulation 2017/1001)

| 1. | EU trade mark – Appeals procedure – Action before the EU judicature – Jurisdiction of the General Court – Directions issued to EUIPO – Precluded  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 72(6))  (see paragraph 12) |

| 2. | EU trade mark – Appeals procedure – Appeal brought against a decision of the Cancellation Division of EUIPO – Examination by the Board of Appeal – Scope – Evidence submitted for the first time before the Board of Appeal – Account taken – Discretion of the Board of Appeal – Limits  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 95(2); Commission Regulation 2018/625, Art. 27(4))  (see paragraphs 18-23) |

| 3. | EU trade mark – Procedural provisions – Decisions of EUIPO – Observance of the rights of the defence – Scope of the principle  (Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 41(2)(a); European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 94(1), second sentence)  (see paragraphs 30-33) |

| 4. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks of such a nature as to deceive the public – Figurative mark VEGA DEL OBISPO BIO Jaén PRODUCTOS ECOLÓGICOS  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(g))  (see paragraphs 32, 35, 37) |

| 5. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks of such a nature as to deceive the public – Criteria for assessment  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(g))  (see paragraph 36) |

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Annuls the decision of the First Board of Appeal of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) of 1 June 2023 (Case R 1119/2022-1); |

| 2. | Dismisses the action as to the remainder; |

| 3. | Orders EUIPO to pay, in addition to its own costs, those incurred by Consejo Regulador de la Indicación Geográfica Protegida ‘Aceite de Jaén’. |

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