Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Seventh Chamber) of 23 October 2024 –  
Sumol + Compal Marcas v EUIPO – Boiron frères (FRUITOLOGY)

(Case T‑523/23)

(EU trade mark – Opposition proceedings – International registration designating the European Union – Word mark FRUITOLOGY – Earlier national word mark CENTRO DE FRUTOLOGIA – Relative ground for refusal – Likelihood of confusion – Similarity of the signs – Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 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, 57) |

| 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 – Assessment of the distinctive character of an element of a trade mark  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 22, 27-29, 31, 36) |

| 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 FRUITOLOGY and CENTRO DE FRUTOLOGIA  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 30, 32, 40, 46, 52, 53, 61) |

| 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 – Assessment of the likelihood of confusion – Determination of the relevant public – Level of attention of the public  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paragraph 58) |

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Alters the decision of the Second Board of Appeal of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) of 9 June 2023 (Joined Cases R 797/2022-2 and R 804/2022-2) to the effect that the decision of the Opposition Division of EUIPO of 11 March 2022 is partially annulled in so far as it had partially rejected the opposition; |

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

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