Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Third Chamber) of 17 July 2024 –  
W. B. Studio v EUIPO – E.Land Italy (BELFE)

(Case T‑50/23) (
[1](#t-ECR_62023TJ0050_INF_EN_01-E0001)
)

(EU trade mark – Revocation proceedings – EU word mark BELFE – Genuine use of the mark – Partial revocation – Article 18(1), second subparagraph, point (b), and Article 58(1)(a) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001 – Affixing of the trade mark to goods or to the packaging thereof in the European Union solely for export purposes – Proof of genuine use – No purely internal use – Article 19 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2018/625)

| 1. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Grounds for revocation – Lack of genuine use of the mark – Proof of use – Genuine use – Concept – Criteria for assessment – Requirement of solid and objective evidence  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Arts 18(1) and 58(1)(a))  (see paragraphs 17-20, 22, 33, 45) |

| 2. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Grounds for revocation – Lack of genuine use of the mark – Word mark BELFE  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Arts 18(1) and 58(1)(a))  (see paragraphs 28, 34, 50, 61, 67, 78, 86) |

| 3. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Grounds for revocation – Lack of genuine use of the mark – Proof of use – Genuine use – Concept – Determination of a minimal quantitative use threshold – Precluded  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Arts 18(1) and 58(1)(a))  (see paragraphs 71, 72) |

| 4. | EU trade mark – Procedural provisions – Revocation proceedings – Facts and evidence not submitted within the prescribed time limit – Account taken – Discretion of the Board of Appeal  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Arts 58(1)(a) and 95(2); Commission Regulation 2018/625, Arts 10(7) and 19(1))  (see paragraph 82) |

| 5. | Judicial proceedings – Costs – Litigation concerning intellectual property rights – Recoverable costs – Costs necessarily incurred by the parties for the purposes of the proceedings before the Board of Appeal  (Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 190(2))  (see paragraphs 91, 92) |

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders W.B. Studio Sas di Wivian Bodini & C. to pay the costs. |

---

(
[1](#c-ECR_62023TJ0050_INF_EN_01-E0001)
) [OJ C 104, 20.3.2023](./../../../legal-content/EN/AUTO/?uri=OJ:C:2023:104:TOC).

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