Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Third Chamber) of 7 June 2023 –  
Brooks England v EUIPO – Brooks Sports (BROOKS ENGLAND)

(Case T‑63/22) (
[1](#t-ECR_62022TJ0063_INF_EN_01-E0001)
)

(EU trade mark – Opposition proceedings – Application for the EU figurative mark BROOKS ENGLAND – Earlier EU word mark BROOKS – Relative ground for refusal – Likelihood of confusion – Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 40/94 (now Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001) – Genuine use of the earlier mark – Article 43(2) of Regulation No 40/94 (now Article 47(2) of Regulation 2017/1001))

| 1. | EU trade mark – Appeals procedure – Action before the EU judicature – Jurisdiction of the General Court – Review of the lawfulness of decisions of the Boards of Appeal – Re-examination of the facts in the light of evidence not previously submitted before the adjudicating bodies of EUIPO – Not included  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 72)  (see paragraph 21) |

| 2. | Judicial proceedings – Application initiating proceedings – Formal requirements – Identification of the subject matter of the proceedings – Summary of the pleas in law on which the application is based  (Statute of the Court of Justice, Arts 21, first para., and 53, first para.; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 177(1)(d))  (see paragraphs 23, 24) |

| 3. | EU trade mark – Observations of third parties and opposition – Examination of the opposition – Proof of use of the earlier mark – Genuine use – Concept – Criteria for assessment – Requirement for solid and objective evidence  (Council Regulation No 40/94, Arts 15(1) and 43(2) and (3); Commission Regulation 2018/625, Art. 10(3) and (4))  (see paragraphs 32-36, 61, 66) |

| 4. | 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 40/94, Art. 43(2) and (3))  (see paragraphs 48-52) |

| 5. | EU trade mark – Observations of third parties and opposition – Examination of the opposition – Proof of use of the earlier mark – Genuine use – Concept – Determination of a minimum quantitative use threshold – Not included  (Council Regulation No 40/94, Art. 43(2) and (3))  (see paragraph 62) |

| 6. | EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Relative grounds for refusal – Opposition by the proprietor of an identical or similar earlier mark registered in respect of identical or similar goods or services – Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark – Criteria for assessment  (Council Regulation No 40/94, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 74-76, 111, 112, 119) |

| 7. | EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Relative grounds for refusal – Opposition by the proprietor of an identical or similar earlier mark registered in respect of identical or similar goods or services – Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark – Assessment of the likelihood of confusion – Determination of the relevant public – Level of attention of the public  (Council Regulation No 40/94, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paragraph 77) |

| 8. | EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Relative grounds for refusal – Opposition by the proprietor of an identical or similar earlier mark registered in respect of identical or similar goods or services – Similarity between the goods or services concerned – Criteria for assessment  (Council Regulation No 40/94, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paragraph 84) |

| 9. | EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Relative grounds for refusal – Opposition by the proprietor of an identical or similar earlier mark registered in respect of identical or similar goods or services – Similarity between the marks concerned – Criteria for assessment  (Council Regulation No 40/94, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 102, 103) |

| 10. | EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Relative grounds for refusal – Opposition by the proprietor of an identical or similar earlier mark registered in respect of identical or similar goods or services – Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark – Figurative mark BROOKS ENGLAND and word mark BROOKS  (Council Regulation No 40/94, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 116-118, 120) |

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders Brooks England Ltd to pay the costs. |

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(
[1](#c-ECR_62022TJ0063_INF_EN_01-E0001)
) [OJ C 148, 4.4.2022](./../../../legal-content/EN/AUTO/?uri=OJ:C:2022:148:TOC).

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