Judgment of the General Court (Fifth Chamber) of 12 September 2012

Data

Court: General Court

Case date: 12 september 2012

Verdict

Judgment of the General Court (Fifth Chamber) of 12 September 2012 — Duscholux Ibérica v OHIM — Duschprodukter i Skandinavien (duschy)

(Case T-295/11)

"Community trade mark - Opposition proceedings - International registration designating the European Community - Application for the Community figurative mark duschy - Earlier Community figurative mark DUSCHO Harmony - Relative ground for refusal - No likelihood of confusion - Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 - Duty to state reasons - Articles 75 and 76 of Regulation No 207/2009"

1. Community trade markAppeals procedureBoards of AppealClassification as administration of the OfficeRight of the parties to a fair process None (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 62 to 64) (see para. 21)

2. Community trade markProcedural provisionsDecisions of the OfficeObservance of the rights of the defenceScope of the principle (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 75, second sentence) (see paras 23-25)

3. Community trade markProcedural provisionsExamination of the facts of the Office’s own motionOpposition proceedingsExamination restricted to the submissions of the parties (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 76(1)) (see paras 33-35, 37)

4. Community trade markProcedural provisionsStatement of reasons for decisionsArticle 75, first sentence of Regulation No 207/2009Scope identical to that of Article 296 TFEU (Art. 296 TFEU; Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 75, first sentence) (see paras 40-41)

5. Community trade markDefinition and acquisition of the Community trade markRelative grounds for refusalOpposition by the proprietor of an earlier identical or similar mark registered for identical or similar goods or servicesLikelihood of confusion with the earlier markAssessment of the likelihood of confusionCriteria (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b)) (see paras 49-52, 56, 81)

6. Community trade markDefinition and acquisition of the Community trade markRelative grounds for refusalOpposition by the proprietor of an earlier identical or similar mark registered for identical or similar goods or servicesLikelihood of confusion with the earlier markFigurative marks duschy and DUSCHO Harmony (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b)) (see paras 53-54, 78-79, 82)

7. Community trade markDefinition and acquisition of the Community trade markRelative grounds for refusalOpposition by the proprietor of an earlier identical or similar mark registered for identical or similar goods or servicesSimilarity of the marks concernedCriteria for assessmentComplex mark (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b)) (see paras 57-58, 61)

Re:

ACTION brought against the decision of the First Board of Appeal of OHIM of 21 March 2011 (Case R 662/2010-1), relating to opposition proceedings between Duscholux Ibérica, SA and Duschprodukter i Skandinavien AB.

Operative part

The Court:

1. Dismisses the action;

2. Orders Duscholux Ibérica, SA to pay the costs, including those incurred by Duschprodukter i Skandinavien AB in the course of the proceedings before the Board of Appeal.