Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Fifth Chamber) of 25 June 2020 –  
Pavel v EUIPO – bugatti (B)

(Case T‑114/19)

(EU trade mark – Invalidity proceedings – EU figurative mark B – Earlier international figurative mark b – Relative ground for refusal – Likelihood of confusion – Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001 – Article 60(1)(a) of Regulation 2017/1001 – Misuse of power – Partial annulment)

| 1. | EU trade mark – Appeal proceedings – Action before the EU Courts – Jurisdiction of the General Court – Alteration of a decision of the Office – Assessment in the light of the powers conferred on the Board of Appeal  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 72(3))  (see para. 23) |

| 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 – Criteria for assessment  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paras 29, 86) |

| 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 – Assessment of the likelihood of confusion – Establishing the relevant public – Attention level of the public  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paras 31, 36) |

| 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 – Similarity of the goods or services in question – Criteria for assessment  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see para. 39) |

| 5. | EU trade mark – Filing application for EU trade mark – Identification of the goods or services concerned by the trade mark – Requirements of clarity and precision – Determination, by the competent authorities and the economic operators, of the extent of the protection conferred by the trade mark  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 33(2); Commission Regulation No 2868/95, Art. 1, rule 2(2))  (see paras 48-50) |

| 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 – Similarity of the marks concerned – Criteria for assessment – Composite mark  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paras 63, 64) |

| 7. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Relative grounds for invalidity – Existence of an identical or similar earlier mark registered for identical or similar goods or services – Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark – Figurative marks B and b  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Arts 8(1)(b) and 60(1)(a))  (see paras 71, 93-96, 102) |

| 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 – Coexistence of earlier marks on the market – Effect  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paras 98, 100) |

| 9. | EU trade mark – Appeal proceedings – Action before the EU Courts – Pleas in law – Misuse of powers – Concept  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 72(2))  (see para. 106) |

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the First Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 14 December 2018 (Joined Cases R 49/2018-1 and R 85/2018-1), relating to invalidity proceedings between bugatti and Mr Pavel.

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Annuls the decision of the First Board of Appeal of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) of 14 December 2018 (Joined Cases R 49/2018-1 and R 85/2018-1) in so far as it concerns the goods ‘leather and imitations of leather; animal skins, hides’ in Class 18 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; |

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

| 3. | Orders each party to bear its own costs. |

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