Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Eighth Chamber) of 26 June 2018 –  
France.com v EUIPO — France (FRANCE.com)

(Case T‑71/17)

(EU trade mark — Opposition proceedings — Application for the EU figurative mark FRANCE.com — Earlier international figurative mark France — Relative ground for refusal — Likelihood of confusion — Similarity of the signs — Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001))

| 1. | Questions referred for a preliminary ruling—Reference to the Court—Questions formulated in the context of opposition proceedings before the General Court—Inadmissibility  (Arts 256 TFEU and 267 TFEU; Statute of the Court of Justice, Art. 50a and 51)  (see paras 20, 21) |

| 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  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paras 42, 43, 87) |

| 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—Figurative marks FRANCE.com and France  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paras 44, 45, 48-50, 52, 63, 94, 99) |

| 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 marks concerned—Criteria for assessment—Composite mark—Determination of the dominant elements  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paras 47, 54, 55, 61, 62, 74) |

| 5. | 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—Elements of a trade mark having a descriptive character  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paras 51, 53) |

| 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—Weak distinctive character of the earlier mark—Effect  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see para. 97) |

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the First Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 20 October 2016 (Case R 2452/2015-1) relating to opposition proceedings between the French Republic and France.com.

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders France.com, Inc., to pay the costs. |

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