Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Sixth Chamber) of 13 December 2023 – Light Tec v EUIPO – DecoTrend (Lampshade)

(Case T‑10/23) (
[1](#t-ECR_62023TJ0010_INF_EN_01-E0001)
)

(Community design – Invalidity proceedings – Registered Community design representing a star – Earlier design produced after the filing of the application for a declaration of invalidity – Article 28(1)(b)(v) of Regulation (EC) No 2245/2002 – Discretion of the Board of Appeal – Article 63(1) and (2) of Regulation (EC) No 6/2002 – Obligation to state reasons – Right to be heard)

| 1. | Community designs – Surrender and invalidity – Application for a declaration of invalidity based on the existence of an earlier design – Burden of proof – Requirements relating to the reproduction of the earlier design  (Council Regulation No 6/2002, Arts 52(2) and 63(1); Commission Regulation No 2245/2002, Art. 28(1)(b)(i)(v) and (vi))  (see paragraphs 24, 26) |

| 2. | Community designs – Procedural provisions – Examination of the facts of EUIPO’s own motion – Facts and evidence not submitted in due time – Account taken – Earlier design produced after the filing of the application for a declaration of invalidity – Precluded  (Council Regulation No 6/2002, Arts 52(2) and 63(2); Commission Regulation No 2245/2002, Art. 28(1)(b)(i)(v) and (vi))  (see paragraphs 27, 28, 31, 44-48) |

| 3. | Community designs – Procedural provisions – Statement of reasons for decisions – First sentence of Article 62 of Regulation No 6/2002 – Scope identical to that of Article 296 TFEU  (Art. 296 TFEU; Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 41(2)(c); Council Regulation No 6/2002, Art. 62, first sentence)  (see paragraphs 59-62) |

| 4. | Community designs – Procedural provisions – Decisions of EUIPO – Observance of the rights of the defence – Scope of the principle  (Council Regulation No 6/2002, Art. 60(2), second sentence)  (see paragraphs 72, 73) |

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders Light Tec Ltd to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by DecoTrend GmbH; |

| 3. | Orders the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) to bear its own costs. |

---

(
[1](#c-ECR_62023TJ0010_INF_EN_01-E0001)
) [OJ C 71, 27.2.2023](./../../../legal-content/EN/AUTO/?uri=OJ:C:2023:071:TOC).

[Top](#document1)