Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Sixth Chamber) of 6 December 2023 –  
Vi.ni.ca. v EUIPO – Venica & Venica (agricolavinica. Le Colline di Ripa)

(Case T‑627/22) (
[1](#t-ECR_62022TJ0627_INF_EN_01-E0001)
)

(EU trade mark – Invalidity proceedings – EU figurative mark agricolavinica. Le Colline di Ripa – Earlier EU word mark VENICA – Relative ground for invalidity – No likelihood of confusion – Article 8(1)(b) and Article 60(1)(a) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001))

| 1. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Relative grounds for invalidity – Existence of an identical or similar earlier mark registered in respect of identical or similar goods or services – Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark – Criteria for assessment  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Arts 8(1)(b) and 60(1)(a))  (see paragraphs 14, 15, 110, 111) |

| 2. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Relative grounds for invalidity – Existence of an identical or similar earlier mark registered in respect of identical or similar goods or services – Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark – Assessment of the likelihood of confusion – Determination of the relevant public – Level of attention of the public  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Arts 8(1)(b) and 60(1)(a))  (see paragraphs 19, 24) |

| 3. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Relative grounds for invalidity – Existence of an identical or similar earlier mark registered in respect of identical or similar goods or services – Similarity between the goods or services in question – Criteria for assessment  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Arts 8(1)(b) and 60(1)(a))  (see paragraphs 25, 28, 30) |

| 4. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Relative grounds for invalidity – Existence 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 – Composite mark – Assessment of the distinctive character of an element of a trade mark  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Arts 8(1)(b) and 60(1)(a))  (see paragraphs 32, 33, 56, 60-64, 78, 80, 91) |

| 5. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Relative grounds for invalidity – Existence of an identical or similar earlier mark registered in respect of identical or similar goods or services – Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark – Figurative mark agricolavinica. Le Colline di Ripa and word mark VENICA  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Arts 8(1)(b) and 60(1)(a))  (see paragraphs 113-118, 122) |

| 6. | EU trade mark – Appeals procedure – Action before the EU judicature – Power of the General Court to alter the contested decision – Limits  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 72(3))  (see paragraph 126) |

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Annuls the decision of the Fourth Board of Appeal of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) of 11 July 2022 (Case R 90/2022-4); |

| 2. | Orders EUIPO to pay the costs. |

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(
[1](#c-ECR_62022TJ0627_INF_EN_01-E0001)
) [OJ C 451, 28.11.2022](./../../../legal-content/EN/AUTO/?uri=OJ:C:2022:451:TOC).

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