Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (First Chamber) of 30 April 2019 –  
Kuota International v EUIPO — Sintema Sport (K)

(Case T‑136/18)

(EU trade mark — Invalidity proceedings — EU figurative mark K — Absolute ground for invalidity — Bad faith — Article 59(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001)

| 1. | 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 — Not included  (Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 188; European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 72)  (see para. 29) |

| 2. | EU trade mark — Surrender, revocation and invalidity — Absolute grounds for invalidity — Applicant in bad faith when lodging the trade mark application — Criteria for assessment — Taking into account of all relevant factors at the time of filing the application for registration — Applicant’s knowledge that a third party is using an identical or similar sign — Intention of the applicant — Degree of legal protection of the signs at issue — Origin and use of the sign in dispute — Commercial logic underlying the registration of the contested sign as an EU trade mark — Chronology of events characterising the filing of the trade mark application  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Arts 8(2) and (4) and 59(1)(b))  (see paras 35, 36, 38-41, 43-45, 52) |

| 3. | EU trade mark — Surrender, revocation and invalidity — Absolute grounds for invalidity — Applicant in bad faith when lodging the trade mark application — Figurative mark K  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 59(1)(b))  (see paras 57, 70, 82-85) |

| 4. | EU trade mark — Appeals procedure — Action before the EU judicature — Power of the General Court to vary the contested decision — Limits  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 72(3))  (see para. 92) |

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the First Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 15 December 2017 (Case R 3111/2014-1), relating to invalidity proceedings between Kuota International and Sintema Sport.

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Annuls the decision of the First Board of Appeal of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) of 15 December 2017 (Case R 3111/2014-1); |

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

| 3. | Orders EUIPO to pay the costs. |

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