Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Second Chamber) of 8 November 2023 –  
SkinIdent v EUIPO – Beiersdorf (NIVEA SKIN-IDENTICAL Q10)

(Case T‑665/22) (
[1](#t-ECR_62022TJ0665_INF_EN_01-E0001)
)

(EU trade mark – Opposition proceedings – Application for the EU word mark NIVEA SKIN-IDENTICAL Q10 – National trade mark and international registration of earlier word mark SKINIDENT – Earlier company name Skinident – Relative grounds for refusal – Absence of a likelihood of confusion – Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001 – Use in trade of a sign of more than mere local significance – Article 8(4) of Regulation 2017/1001 – Sector proximity – Application of national law by EUIPO – Right to be heard – Article 94(1) of Regulation 2017/1001)

| 1. | EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Relative grounds for refusal – Opposition by the proprietor 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, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 18, 19, 25, 26, 35, 36) |

| 2. | EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Relative grounds for refusal – Opposition by the proprietor 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  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 37, 38) |

| 3. | EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Relative grounds for refusal – Opposition by the proprietor of an identical or similar earlier mark registered in respect of identical or similar goods or services – Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark – Word marks NIVEA SKIN-IDENTICAL and SKINIDENT  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 39, 47, 50, 51, 57-60, 64-66, 68) |

| 4. | EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Relative grounds for refusal – Opposition by the proprietor 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 – Earlier mark occupying a distinctive independent position in the trade mark sought  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 42-44, 48) |

| 5. | EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Assessment of the registrability of a sign – EU rules only taken into account – Decisions of national authorities not binding on EU bodies  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001)  (see paragraphs 45, 46) |

| 6. | EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Relative grounds for refusal – Opposition by the proprietor of an unregistered trade mark or other sign used in the course of trade – Conditions – Assessment by reference to the criteria determined by the national law governing the sign relied on  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(4))  (see paragraphs 71, 72) |

| 7. | Judicial proceedings – Application initiating proceedings – Formal requirements – Summary of the pleas in law on which the application is based – Pleas in law not set out in the application – Reference to elements in an annex – Inadmissibility  (Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 76(d))  (see paragraph 81) |

| 8. | EU trade mark – Appeals procedure – Action before the EU judicature – Legality of the decision of a Board of Appeal adjudicating in opposition proceedings  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 72)  (see paragraph 85) |

| 9. | EU trade mark – Procedural provisions – Decisions of EUIPO – Observance of the rights of the defence – Scope of the principle  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 94(1), second sentence)  (see paragraphs 93, 94, 96) |

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders SkinIdent AG to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by Beiersdorf AG; |

| 3. | Orders EUIPO to bear its own costs. |

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(
[1](#c-ECR_62022TJ0665_INF_EN_01-E0001)
) [OJ C 472, 12.12.2022](./../../../legal-content/EN/AUTO/?uri=OJ:C:2022:472:TOC).

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