Source: http://rychlicki.net/en/issue/trademark-law/similarity-of-services/
Timestamp: 2019-04-24 03:57:02+00:00

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The Polish Patent Office refused to grant the right of protection for the word-figurative trade mark @ @lfanet Z-331247 applied for by @ALFANET Marcin Małolepszy from Borowo Kolonia for for goods and services in Classes 09, 37, 38, 42 and 45.
The PPO decided that the applied trade mark is similar to the word trade mark ALFANET R-145012 registered with the earlier priority for the Polish company ALPHANET sp. z o.o. for services in class 38. The PPO did not agree with the applicant that ALFANET sign has weak distinctive character. Although the ending “net” is not distinctive for services related to the IT industry, but combined with the word “alpha”, it creates a neologism, which can be deemed as a fanciful sign.
Mr Małolepszy filed a complaint against the decision of the PPO, arguing that grant of a right of protection for a trade mark in respect of specific goods should not constitute an autonomous ground for refusal to grant a right of protection for a trade mark in respect of the goods identical or similar to those of another undertaking for a sole reason that the trade mark contains an identical or similar sign which refers to personal interests, in particular the owner’s name.
The Voivodeship Administrative Court in Warsaw in its judgment of 24 June 2011 case file VI SA/Wa 586/11 dismissed the complaint and held that the argument that the applicant relied on is an exception to the rule of inadmissibility of the coexistence of similar signs, and as such can not be broadly interpreted, and it should be applied with caution, taking into account not only the ratio legis, but also the principles provided in the Polish Industrial Property Law, that relate to trade marks and their basic functions. Although the provisions of Article 135 of the IPL, in contrast to previous regulations, do not include the condition that the applied trade mark should not be misleading, but, in the opinion of the Court, the interpretation that would lead to the registration of two identical or similar trade marks for identical goods and/or services, could not be accepted.
Categories: Art. 107 §3 APC | Art. 132(2)(ii) IPL | Art. 135 IPL | Art. 145 IPL | distinctive character | Polish Act on Industrial Property Law | Polish Administrative Proceedings Code | similarity of services | similarity of signs | trade mark refusal | Voivodeship Administrative Court.
On 27 May 2008, the Polish Patent Office registered the word-figurative trade mark FORTUNA WARZYWNA KAROTKA STANOWCZA Z TABASCO I KOLENDRĄ R-209338. This sign was applied for by the Polish company Agros Nova sp. z o.o. from Warsaw for goods in class 32 such as juices, nectars and vegetable beverages, multi-vegetable nectars and vegetable beverages with the addition of micro and/or macroelements and/or vitamins and/or substance supporting the metabolic processes and/or flavorings, spices and herbs, sports and energy drinks, products for production of beverages: extracts, essences and concentrates, seasonings, and syrups, instant drinks.
Mc Ilhenny Company filed a request for invalidation of Agros’ trade mark. Mc Ilhenny is the owner of the word trade mark TABASCO R-51500 registered with the earlier priority of 24 March 1973, in class 30 for pepper sauce.
The Adjudicative Board of the PPO in its decision of 11 May 2011 case no. Sp. 207/10 dismissed the request. The PPO ruled that there is no likelihood of confusion between both trade marks because Agros’ trade mark is a label with rich graphics, where the words “karotka” and “fortuna” are located in a central position, and the word “Tabasco” is placed below and it’s not a dominant element of the whole sign. It only appears at the bottom of the label, and is written in a small font. This decision is not final yet. A complaint can be brought to the Voivodeship Administrative Court in Warsaw.
Categories: Art. 132(2)(ii) IPL | Polish Act on Industrial Property Law | Polish institutions | Polish Patent Office | similarity of goods | similarity of services | trade mark invalidation | trademark law.
Prywatne Biuro Podróży Sindbad Ryszard Wójcik from Opole, requested the Polish Patent Office to invalidate the word-figurative trade mark SINDBAD HOTELE R-172657 registered in Class 40 and 43 for services such as photographic film development and printing and accommodation and reservations, and owned by Przedsiębiorstwa Handlowo-Usługowego Sindbad s.c. Michał Ząbroń, Roman Mandyna from Kraków. Ryszard Wojcik is the holder of the word-figurative trade mark SINDBAD R-77988 registered with the earlier priority in Class 35 and 39 for services such as transporting of passengers and goods by car, organization of tourist trips, travel agencies and advertising agencies.
The Adjudicative Board of the PPO in its decision of 18 April 2010 case no. Sp. 352/08 invalidated the right of protection. The PPO held that there exists similarity of the signs and services. As for services, the PPO said that accommodation and travel agency services are related. This decision is not final yet. A complaint can be brought to the Voivodeship Administrative Court in Warsaw.
Categories: Art. 132(2)(ii) IPL | Polish Act on Industrial Property Law | Polish institutions | Polish Patent Office | similarity of services | similarity of signs | trade mark invalidation | trademark law.
POSTI S.A. applied for the word-figurative trade mark “POSTI Fitea man HERBATKA WSPOMAGAJĄCA ODCHUDZANIE z owocem z czarnego bzu i anyżem doskonały smak świetny efekt” Z-334117 for foods in Classes 05 and 30. The Polish Patent Office refused to grant the right of protection. The PPO ruled that there exist similarity between applied sign and the word-figurative trade mark “fittea” R-178995 owned by “BIOFLUID” Spółka Jawna from Górki Małe. POSTI filed a complaint against this decision.
The Voivodeship Administrative Court in its judgment of 5 November 2010 case file VI SA/Wa 1127/10 anulled the decision. The Court ruled that the PPO examined only verbal elements of both signs. The VAC ruled that the main distinguishing element of marked goods or services is, in principle, the word, because the recipient usually remember the sign and the marked product (service) based on the verbal element/s.
However, the principle of the dominant meaning of the word elements in the combined trade marks is fully applicable, particularly when figurative and 3D elements have less distinctive character, or are completely devoid of this ability. This judgment is not final yet.
Categories: Art. 132(2)(ii) IPL | Art. 145 IPL | distinctive character | Polish Act on Industrial Property Law | similarity of goods | similarity of services | similarity of signs | trade mark refusal | trademark law | Voivodeship Administrative Court.
On 7 September 2007, the Polish Patent Office granted the right of protection for word-figurative trade mark “PERŁY I ŁOTRY” R-194932 applied for by HARPEL II Wojciech Harmansa for goods in Class 16 and 35. The PPO received a request for the invalidation of the right of protection that was filed by Sinonis Grzegorz Majewski who owns “PERŁY I ŁOTRY SHANGHAJU” R-164275 trade mark registered for goods in Class 09 and 41. Majewski applied for the registration on 2 February 2001. Majewski and Harmansa were members of a music band called PERŁY I ŁOTRY SHANGHAJU, but after some misunderstandings in the band, their paths diverged.
The Adjudicative Board of the Polish Patent Office in its decision of 7 April 2009, case file Sp. 211/08 invalidated the right of protection for “PERŁY I ŁOTRY” R-194932 trade mark in part in Class 35, recognizing the similarity of services.
Categories: Art. 132(2)(ii) IPL | Polish Act on Industrial Property Law | Polish Patent Office | similarity of services | similarity of signs | trade mark invalidation.
The Supreme Administrative Court in its judgment of 3 June 2009 case file II GSK 986/08 held that the provisions of Article 132(2)(ii) of the IPL does not refer only to the so-called direct risk, that is a situation where the similarity of the opposing trade marks is so close that the consumer may be easily confused but also a situation of the so-called indirect risk, which is based on the fact that the potential customer may mistakenly associate both trade marks.
(ii) is identical or similar to a trademark for which a right of protection was granted or which has been applied for protection with an earlier priority date (provided that the latter is subsequently granted a right of protection) on behalf of another party for identical or similar goods, if a risk of misleading the public exists, in particular by evoking associations with the earlier mark.
The risk of confusion as referred to in that provision of the IPL, includes therefore the likelihood of customer confusion as to the origin of the goods in the strict sense, as well as the risk of confusion as to the relationship of sources of origin of goods bearing the opposed trade marks. This is simply a situation where the average customer, following the association between two marks, may assume that a company using a similar trade mark as the owner of a prioro right , is in economiclegal or organizational relationships, that are essential for the manufacture, marking, and the introduction of a product to the market. This case concerned a decision on definitive refusal to recognize the protection of Tim IR-0809911 trade mark.
Categories: Art. 132(2)(ii) IPL | likelihood of confusion | Polish Act on Industrial Property Law | Polish Supreme Administrative Court | similarity of goods | similarity of services | similarity of signs | trade mark refusal | trademark law.
The Polish company Arenda Biuro Obrotu Nieruchomosci from Warsaw filed before the Polish Patent Office a request for invalidation of the right of protection of the trade mark ARENDA WOJCIECHOWSCY R-178655, which was registered in classes 35, 36, 37 and 42. The company from Warsaw claimed that there was a risk of confusion between the trade mark ARENDA WOJCIECHOWSCY and the trade mark ARENDA R-94766, which was applied for with an earlier priority on 3 November 1994 and registered on 27 March 1997 for services in class 36 for real estate agency and brokerage.
The company argued that both signs have different graphics, which clearly distinguishes them. Another argument was that the PPO had already registered six different trade marks with the ARENDA element.
Despite the fact that, in the Polish language, “arenda” formely meant “lease” or “tenancy”, the PPO had invalidated the right of protection for a trade mark in part – in class 36 in its decision of 27 October 2008 act signature Sp. 487/07.
Categories: Art. 132(2)(ii) IPL | descriptive character | likelihood of confusion | Polish Act on Industrial Property Law | Polish Patent Office | similarity of services | similarity of signs | trade mark invalidation | trademark law.
On 1 December 2003, Telekomunikacja Polska S.A, filed an opposition against the decision of the Patent Office of 26 March 2003 granting the right of protection for word-figurative trade mark Teleaudio R-143563 for Teleaudio Sp. z o.o. for services in classes 38 and 41 such as line and/or phone numbers renatal, audio-text services, organization of entertainment and education competitions.
TP S.A. stated that it is the owner of AUDIOTELE R-101622 trade mark and word-figurative trade mark AUDIO TELE R-101623, registered with the earlier priority, which are used in trade from 19 March 1995 for audio-text services. TP S.A. argued that it was the first company that lanched on 19 March 1995, a national audio-text system under the “audiotele” brand name. TP S.A. argued also that TELEAUDIO Sp. z o.o. entered the market of audio-text services almost a year later, and deliberately chose imitating sign for its firm (company name) and the trade mark, and copied the graphic which depicts a phone. According to TP S.A. such actions violated its property rights and might mislead the public as to the origin of services.
The PPO ruled that the differences between the trade marks were not sufficient to eliminate the similarity between the compared signs. The essential elements of those marks – the words AUDIOTELE and TELEAUDIO were confusingly similar. According to the PPO the figurative elements of marks perform only a supporting role, as they will be perceived by the public as a decoration, not as the most significant elements that identify the source of the services. The PPO has indicated that the average customer will focus on the words AUDIOTELE and TELEAUDIO because in assessing the similarity of characters as a whole, the dominant and convergent elements of the sign are of crucial importance.
Teleaudio Sp. z o.o. decided to file a complaint. The Voivodeship Administrative court in Warsaw in its judgment of 25 April 2006 case file VI SA/Wa 2082/05 dissmissed the case. In the opinion of the VAC, the PPO has properly analyzed the similarity of TELAUDIO R-143563 trade mark and opposing AUDIOTELE sign. Both signs had to be compared, given the verbal, aural and semantic similarity. The VAC held that the case in question concerns the similarity of signs in verbal, aural and semantic aspects. The Court considered these factors as affecting the risk of confusion. The VAC noted that the PPO has analyzed the sign as a whole, and rightly presented the idea about the possible characteristics that may affect the ability to distinguish one trade mark from another. Teleaudio Sp. z o.o. filed a cassation complaint.
The Supreme Administrative Court in its judgment of 20 February 2007 case file II GSK 265/06 dismissed the case. The SAC ruled the VAC accurately assessed the similarity of signs as an integral whole. The SAC noted also that the case-law of the Supreme Court established the rule that the legal assessment on the basis of Article 7 and Article 9(1)(i) and (ii) of the TMA with regard to word-figurative trade mark should be based on an integral whole of a trade mark, and not only one of the words, which is only one of its components (see the judgement of the Supreme Court of 11 March 1999, case file III RN 136/98, published in OSN, 2000/1/2).
The Court ruled also that the issue of similarity of trade marks is both the factual and legal category. See also “Trade mark law, case II GSK 36/05“. The Court ruled that the VAC rightly pointed out that the similarity of signs is examined and assessed based on common elements of marks, not by the differences. Thus, the differences do not preclude the similarity of the signs. The examination of the similarity should thus lead to the objective similarities and differences, and their sum should be related to the average attention of a reasonable consumer (see U. Promińska, Naruszenia praw na dobrach niematerialnych, PIRzP, 2001, p. 95 and literature cited therein).
Categories: Art. 184 PBAC | Art. 8(1) TMA | Art. 8(2) TMA | Art. 9(1)(i) TMA | company name or firm | likelihood of confusion | Polish Supreme Administrative Court | similarity of services | similarity of signs | trade mark examination | trade mark invalidation.

References: Art. 107
 §3
 Art. 132
 Art. 135
 Art. 145
 Art. 132
 Art. 132
 Art. 132
 Art. 145
 Art. 132
 Art. 132
 Art. 132
 Art. 184
 Art. 8
 Art. 8
 Art. 9