Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Second Chamber) of 21 December 2022 –  
Sanrio v EUIPO – Miroglio Fashion (SANRIO CHARACTERS)

(Case T‑43/22) (
[1](#t-ECR_62022TJ0043_INF_EN_01-E0001)
)

(EU trade mark – Opposition proceedings – Application for the EU word mark SANRIO CHARACTERS – Earlier EU word mark CARACTÈRE – Relative ground for refusal – No likelihood of confusion – Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001))

| 1. | 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 SANRIO CHARACTERS and CARACTÈRE  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 44-47, 61, 62, 69, 75-78) |

| 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 – Similarity of the marks concerned – Assessment of the distinctive character of an element of which a trade mark is composed  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 52-56) |

| 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 – Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark – Normal degree of inherent distinctiveness of the earlier mark – Signs visually and phonetically similar to a low degree – Precluded  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 85-89) |

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Annuls the decision of the Second Board of Appeal of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) of 16 November 2021 (Case R 2460/2020-2) in so far as it concerns:   | – | ‘wholesaling and retailing and mail order sales services relating to the sale of bags, purses and wallets; wholesaling and retailing and mail order services relating to the sale of articles of footwear and headgear; wholesaling and retailing and mail order services relating to the sale of sporting articles’, in Class 35 of the Nice Agreement Concerning the International Classification of Goods and Services for the Purposes of the Registration of Marks of 15 June 1957, as revised and amended; |  | – | ‘life-saving apparatus and equipment; protection devices for personal use against accidents; divers’ masks; goggles for sports; protective helmets for sports; protective masks; ear plugs for divers; ear plugs for swimming’ in Class 9; | |

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

| 3. | Orders Sanrio Co. Ltd and EUIPO to bear their own costs. |

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(
[1](#c-ECR_62022TJ0043_INF_EN_01-E0001)
) [OJ C 119, 14.3.2022](./../../../legal-content/EN/AUTO/?uri=OJ:C:2022:119:TOC).

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