Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Seventh Chamber) of 21 June 2023 –  
International British Education XXI v EUIPO – Saint George’s School (IBE ST. GEORGE’S)

(Case T‑438/22) (
[1](#t-ECR_62022TJ0438_INF_EN_01-E0001)
)

(EU trade mark – Opposition proceedings – Application for the EU figurative mark IBE ST. GEORGE’S – Earlier national figurative mark ST. GEORGE’S SCHOOL – Relative ground for refusal – Likelihood of confusion – Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001)

| 1. | EU trade mark – Appeals procedure – Action before the EU judicature – Jurisdiction of the General Court – Direction issued to the Office – Precluded  (Art. 263 TFEU; European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 72(6))  (see paragraph 14) |

| 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 – Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark – Criteria for assessment  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 18-20, 67, 72, 73) |

| 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 – Similarity between the goods or services in question – Criteria for assessment  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paragraph 28) |

| 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 – Similarity of the marks concerned – Criteria for assessment  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paragraph 32) |

| 5. | 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 – Figurative marks IBE ST. GEORGE’S and ST. GEORGE’S SCHOOL  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 23, 25, 29, 30, 46, 56, 65, 66, 71, 75, 76, 82) |

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders International British Education XXI SL to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by Saint George’s School SL; |

| 3. | Orders the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) to bear its own costs. |

---

(
[1](#c-ECR_62022TJ0438_INF_EN_01-E0001)
) [OJ C 340, 5.9.2022](./../../../legal-content/EN/AUTO/?uri=OJ:C:2022:340:TOC).

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