Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Second Chamber) of 29 May 2024 –  
Penguin Random House v EUIPO – Ediciones Literarias Independientes (PLAN B)

(Case T‑777/22) (
[1](#t-ECR_62022TJ0777_INF_EN_01-E0001)
)

(EU trade mark – Invalidity proceedings – Figurative mark PLAN B – Earlier trade name Ediciones Plan B – Absolute ground for invalidity – Bad faith – Article 59(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001)

| 1. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Applicant in bad faith when filing the trade mark application – Concept of bad faith – Scope  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 59(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 21-23) |

| 2. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Applicant in bad faith when filing the trade mark application – Criteria for assessment – Taking into account all relevant factors at the time of filing of the application for registration – Applicant’s knowledge that a third party is using an identical or similar sign – Intention of the applicant – Degree of legal protection of the signs at issue – Origin and use of the contested sign – Commercial logic underlying the registration of the contested sign as an EU trade mark – Chronology of events leading up to the filing of the trade mark application  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 59(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 24-26, 90) |

| 3. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Applicant in bad faith when filing the trade mark application – Burden of proof  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 59(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 27, 28, 78, 79) |

| 4. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Applicant in bad faith when filing the trade mark application – Figurative mark PLAN B and trade name Ediciones Plan B  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 59(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 40, 58, 64, 76, 85, 93, 107, 114) |

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial, S.A.U., to pay the costs. |

---

(
[1](#c-ECR_62022TJ0777_INF_EN_01-E0001)
) [OJ C 71, 27.2.2023](./../../../legal-content/EN/AUTO/?uri=OJ:C:2023:071:TOC).

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