Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Sixth Chamber) of 8 June 2017 —  
AWG v EUIPO — Takko (Southern Territory 23°48’252”S)

(Case T‑6/16)

(EU trade mark — Proceedings for a declaration of invalidity — EU word mark Southern Territory 23°48’25’’S — Earlier EU word mark SOUTHERN — Relative ground for refusal — Article 8(1)(b) and Article 53(1)(a) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009)

| 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  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paras 18, 70, 71) |

| 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 — Assessment of the likelihood of confusion — Determination of the relevant public — Attention level of the public  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see para. 19) |

| 3. | EU trade mark — Surrender, revocation and invalidity — Relative grounds for invalidity — Existence of an identical or similar earlier mark registered for identical or similar goods or services — Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark — Word marks Southern Territory 23o48’25’’S and SOUTHERN  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 8(1)(b), and 53(1)(a))  (see paras 20, 22-25, 69, 80, 81) |

| 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  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paras 28-30) |

| 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 — Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark — Coexistence of earlier marks — Recognition of a certain degree of distinctiveness of a national mark  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 8(1)(b), and 53(1)(a))  (see para. 36) |

| 6. | 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 — Likelihood of association  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paras 78, 79) |

Re:

ACTION brought against the decision of the Fourth Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 10 November 2015 (Case R 735/2015-4), concerning invalidity proceedings between Takko Holding and AWG.

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders AWG Allgemeine Warenvertriebs GmbH to bear its own costs and those of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). |

[Top](#document1)