CELEX: 62020TA0517
Language: en
Date: 2021-11-10 00:00:00
Title: Case T-517/20: Judgment of the General Court of 10 November 2021 — VF International v EUIPO — National Geographic Society (NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC) (EU trade mark — Invalidity proceedings — EU word mark NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC — Earlier non-registered mark geographic — Relative ground for refusal — Use in the course of trade of a sign of more than mere local significance — Article 8(4) and Article 53(1)(c) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 8(4) and Article 60(1)(c) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001))

17.1.2022   
            
            
               EN
            
            
               Official Journal of the European Union
            
            
               C 24/30
            
         
      Judgment of the General Court of 10 November 2021 — VF International v EUIPO — National Geographic Society (NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC)
      (Case T-517/20) (1)
      
      (EU trade mark - Invalidity proceedings - EU word mark NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC - Earlier non-registered mark geographic - Relative ground for refusal - Use in the course of trade of a sign of more than mere local significance - Article 8(4) and Article 53(1)(c) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 8(4) and Article 60(1)(c) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001))
      (2022/C 24/39)
      Language of the case: English
      
         Parties
      
      
         Applicant: VF International Sagl (Stabio, Switzerland) (represented by: T. van Innis and A. Van der Planken, lawyers)
      
         Defendant: European Union Intellectual Property Office (represented by: M. Fischer and V. Ruzek, acting as Agents)
      
         Other party to the proceedings before the Board of Appeal of EUIPO, intervener before the General Court: National Geographic Society (Washington, District of Columbia, United States) (represented by: S. Malynicz QC and C. de Haas, lawyer)
      
         Re:
      
      Action brought against the decision of the First Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 21 May 2020 (Case R 1665/2019-1), relating to invalidity proceedings between VF International and National Geographic Society.
      
         Operative part of the judgment
      
      The Court:
      
                  1.
               
               
                  Dismisses the action;
               
            
                  2.
               
               
                  Orders VF International Sagl to pay the costs.
               
            
         (1)  OJ C 339, 12.10.2020.