Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Fifth Chamber) of 28 April 2021 –  
Nosio v EUIPO – Tros del Beto (ACCUSÌ)

(Case T‑300/20)

(EU trade mark – Opposition proceedings – Application for the EU word mark ACCUSÌ – Earlier EU word mark ACÚSTIC – Relative ground for refusal – Likelihood of confusion – Similarity of the signs – Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001))

| 1. | EU trade mark – Observations of third parties and opposition – Examination of the opposition – Proof of use of the earlier mark – Need to determine that question, once raised by the applicant before the decision on the opposition  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 15(1) and 42(2))  (see paras 20, 21, 24) |

| 2. | EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Relative grounds for refusal – Opposition by the proprietor of an earlier identical or similar mark registered for identical or similar goods or services – Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark – Word marks ACCUSÌ and ACÚSTIC  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paras 28, 30, 36, 50-52, 55-62) |

| 3. | EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Relative grounds for refusal – Opposition by the proprietor of an earlier identical or similar mark registered for identical or similar goods or services – Similarity of the marks concerned – Criteria for assessment  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paras 32, 40-42) |

| 4. | EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Relative grounds for refusal – Opposition by the proprietor of an earlier identical or similar mark registered for identical or similar goods or services – Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark – Weighing elements of similarity or difference between the signs – Taking into account of the intrinsic characteristics of the signs or the conditions in which the goods or services are marketed  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see para. 53) |

| 5. | EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Relative grounds for refusal – Opposition by the proprietor of an earlier identical or similar mark registered for identical or similar goods or services – Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark – Similarity of the marks concerned – Whether conceptual differences may neutralise visual or aural similarities – Conditions  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see para. 54) |

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the First Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 13 March 2020 (Case R 871/2019-1), relating to opposition proceedings between Tros del Belo and Nosio.

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders each party to bear its own costs. |

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