Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Seventh Chamber) of 13 November 2024 –  
G.M.P. Group v EUIPO – Audi (Vehicle wheel rims)

(Case T‑545/23)

(Community design – Invalidity proceedings – Registered Community design representing vehicle wheel rims – Earlier design – Grounds for invalidity – Individual character – Overall impression – Degree of freedom of the designer – Article 6 and Article 25(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 6/2002)

| 1. | Community designs – Appeals procedure – Action before the EU judicature – Jurisdiction of the General Court – Review of the facts in the light of evidence produced for the first time before it – Precluded  (Council Regulation No 6/2002, Art. 61)  (see paragraph 16) |

| 2. | Community designs – Grounds for invalidity – No individual character – Design not giving the informed user a different overall impression from that produced by the earlier design – Global assessment of all the elements of the earlier design  (Council Regulation No 6/2002, Arts 6(1) and 25(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 24, 25, 51-53) |

| 3. | Community designs – Grounds for invalidity – No individual character – Design not giving the informed user a different overall impression from that produced by the earlier design – Criteria for assessment – Freedom of the designer  (Council Regulation No 6/2002, Arts 6(2) and 25(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 27, 29, 31, 54) |

| 4. | Community designs – Grounds for invalidity – No individual character – Design not giving the informed user a different overall impression from that produced by the earlier design – Saturation of the state of the art – Relevance  (Council Regulation No 6/2002, Art. 6(1))  (see paragraphs 30, 36) |

| 5. | Community designs – Grounds for invalidity – No individual character – Design not giving the informed user a different overall impression from that produced by the earlier design – Informed user – Definition  (Council Regulation No 6/2002, Arts 6(1), 10(1) and 25(1)(d))  (see paragraphs 32, 33) |

| 6. | Community designs – Grounds for invalidity – No individual character – Design not giving the informed user a different overall impression from that produced by the earlier design – Saturation of the state of the art – Date of assessment  (Council Regulation No 6/2002, Art. 6(1))  (see paragraph 37) |

| 7. | Community designs – Grounds for invalidity – No individual character – Design not giving the informed user a different overall impression from that produced by the earlier design – Representation of vehicle wheel rims  (Council Regulation No 6/2002, Art. 6(1))  (see paragraphs 46, 58-67) |

| 8. | Community designs – Grounds for invalidity – No individual character – Design not giving the informed user a different overall impression from that produced by the earlier design – Determination of the overall impression having regard to the manner of use of the product – Impact of the visible features of the product on the ease with which it can be used  (Council Regulation No 6/2002, Arts 6(1) and 25(1)(b))  (see paragraph 53) |

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders G.M.P. Group Srl to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by Audi AG in the proceedings before the General Court; |

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

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