Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Fourth Chamber) of 29 June 2016 — Universal Protein Supplements v EUIPO — H Young Holdings (animal)

(Joined Cases T‑727/14 and T‑728/14)

‛EU trade mark — Invalidity proceedings — EU figurative marks animal — Unregistered earlier national word mark ANIMAL — Relative ground for refusal — Application of national law by EUIPO — Article 53(1)(c) and Article 8(4) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 — Particulars of the right on which the application for a declaration of invalidity is based — Rule 37(b)(ii) of Regulation (EC) No 2868/95’

| 1. | EU trade mark — Surrender, revocation and invalidity — Relative grounds for invalidity — Existence of an earlier right referred to in Article 8(4) of Regulation No 207/2009 — Conditions — Interpretation in the light of EU law — Assessment by reference to the criteria determined by the national law governing the sign relied on (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 8(4), and 53(1)(c)) (see paras 22-24) |

| 2. | EU trade mark — Surrender, revocation and invalidity — Invalidity action based on the existence of an earlier national right — Burden of proof (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 8(4), and 53(1)(c); Commission Regulation No 2868/95, Art. 1, Rule 37(b)(ii)) (see paras 25-27, 35-39, 44-46) |

| 3. | EU trade mark — Surrender, revocation and invalidity — Relative grounds for invalidity — Use of the mark capable of being prohibited by virtue of another earlier right — Review by the competent bodies of EUIPO and by the Court as to the national law applicable — Scope (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 8(4), and 53(1)(c)) (see paras 47, 48) |

Re:

ACTION brought against the decisions of the First Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 31 July 2014 (Cases R 2054/2013-1 and R 2058/2013-1), relating to invalidity proceedings between Universal Protein Supplements and H Young Holdings.

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the applications; |

| 2. | Orders Universal Protein Supplements Corp. to pay the costs. |

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