Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Fifth Chamber) of 12 May 2021 –  
Sun Stars & Sons v EUIPO – Valvis Holding (AC AQUA AC)

(Case T‑638/19)

(EU trade mark – Opposition proceedings – Application for the three-dimensional EU trade mark AC AQUA AC – Earlier three-dimensional EU and national trade marks VODAVODA – 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 – Appeals procedure – Action before the EU judicature – Jurisdiction of the General Court – Re-evaluation of the facts in the light of evidence produced for the first time before it – Not included  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 72)  (see para. 18) |

| 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 27-29, 90, 95) |

| 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 – Determination of the relevant public – Attention level of the public  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see para. 31) |

| 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 between the goods or services in question – Complementary nature of the goods or services  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paras 34, 35, 45) |

| 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 – Criteria for assessment – Composite mark  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paras 48-51) |

| 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 – Three-dimensional trade marks consisting of the shape of the product itself – Assessment of distinctive character – Criteria  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paras 60-65) |

| 7. | 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 – Conceptual similarity between the marks composed of verbal elements in different languages – Criteria for assessment  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see para. 86) |

| 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 – Three-dimensional mark AC AQUA AC and three-dimensional marks VODAVODA  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))  (see paras 97-100) |

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the Fourth Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 6 August 2019 (Case R 649/2018-4), relating to opposition proceedings between Sun Stars & Sons and Valvis Holding.

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders Valvis Holding SA to pay the costs. |

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