Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Second Chamber) of 24 April 2018 –  
Kabushiki Kaisha Zoom v EUIPO — Leedsworld (ZOOM)

(Case T‑831/16)

(EU trade mark — Opposition proceedings — Application for EU word mark ZOOM — Earlier EU figurative and word marks ZOOM — Relative ground for refusal — Likelihood of confusion — Similarity of goods — Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now 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 @ Direction addressed to the Office—Not included  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 65(6))  (see para. 12) |

| 2. | EU trade mark—Observations of third parties and opposition—Examination of the opposition—Proof of use of the earlier mark—Genuine use—Meaning—Interpretation taking account of the rationale of Article 42(2) and (3) of Regulation No 207/2009  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Recital 10 and Art. 42(2) and (3); Commission Regulation No 2868/95, Art. 1, rule 22(3))  (see para. 40) |

| 3. | EU trade mark—Observations of third parties and opposition—Examination of the opposition—Proof of use of the earlier mark—Genuine use—Meaning—Criteria for assessment  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 42(2) and (3))  (see paras 41-43) |

| 4. | EU trade mark—Observations of third parties and opposition—Examination of the opposition—Proof of use of the earlier mark—Genuine use—Application of the criteria to the case in question  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 42(2) and (3))  (see para. 44) |

| 5. | EU trade mark—Observations of third parties and opposition—Examination of the opposition—Proof of use of the earlier mark—Partial use—Effect—Concept of (part of the goods or services) covered by the registration  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 42(2) and (3))  (see para. 45) |

| 6. | 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—Assessment of the likelihood of confusion—Determination of the relevant public—Attention level of the public  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see para. 66) |

| 7. | 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 between the goods or services in question—Criteria for assessment—Complementary nature of the goods or services  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paras 68, 69, 103) |

| 8. | 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 mark ZOOM—Figurative and word marks ZOOM  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paras 88-93, 97, 107, 111-115) |

| 9. | 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—Criteria for assessment  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paras 99-101) |

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the Fifth Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 7 September 2016 (Case R 1235/2015-5) relating to opposition proceedings between Kabushiki Kaisha Zoom and Leedsworld.

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Annuls the decision of the Fifth Board of Appeal of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) of 7 September 2016 (Case R 1235/2015-5), relating to opposition proceedings between Kabushiki Kaisha Zoom and Leedsworld, Inc; |

| 2. | Dismisses the action as to the remainder; |

| 3. | Orders EUIPO to pay the costs. |

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