Judgment of the General Court (Ninth Chamber) of 28 February 2019

EU trade markProcedural provisionsExamination of the facts of the Office’s own motionInvalidity proceedings concerning relative grounds for refusalExamination restricted to the submissions of the partiesExamination of a legal question of the Office’s own motionCondition

(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 95(1))

(see para. 31)

EU trade markSurrender, revocation and invalidityRelative grounds for invalidityExistence of an earlier identical or similar mark enjoying a reputationProtection of well-known earlier mark extended to dissimilar goods or servicesConditions

(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Arts 8(5) and 60(1)(a))

(see paras 32, 106, 174, 182)

EU trade markSurrender, revocation and invalidityExamination of the applicationProof of use of the earlier markGenuine useConcept/Meaning/DefinitionCriteria for assessment

(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 64(2) and (3))

(see paras 51-53, 72, 76)

EU trade markSurrender, revocation and invalidityExamination of the applicationProof of use of the earlier markUse of the mark in a form differing by elements not altering the distinctive character of the markSubject matter and scope of Article 18(1)(a) of Regulation 2017/1001

(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 18(1)(a))

(see paras 90, 97)

EU trade markSurrender, revocation and invalidityRelative grounds for invalidityExistence of an earlier identical or similar mark enjoying a reputationProtection of well-known earlier mark extended to dissimilar goods or servicesConditionsReputation of the mark in the Member State or the European UnionConcept/Meaning/DefinitionCriteria for assessment

(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Arts 8(5) and 60(1)(a))

(see para. 114)

EU trade markSurrender, revocation and invalidityRelative grounds for invalidityExistence of an earlier identical or similar mark enjoying a reputationProtection of well-known earlier mark extended to dissimilar goods or servicesConditionsReputation of the mark in the Member State or the European UnionUse of a mark in conjunction with another registered well-known mark

(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Arts 8(5) and 60(1)(a))

(see paras 130, 131)

EU trade markSurrender, revocation and invalidityRelative grounds for invalidityExistence of an earlier identical or similar mark enjoying a reputationProtection of well-known earlier mark extended to dissimilar goods or servicesConditionsLink between the marks

(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Arts 8(5) and 60(1)(a))

(see para. 139)

EU trade markSurrender, revocation and invalidityRelative grounds for invalidityExistence of an earlier identical or similar mark enjoying a reputationProtection of well-known earlier mark extended to dissimilar goods or servicesSimilarity of the marks concernedCriteria for assessment

(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Arts 8(5) and 60(1)(a))

(see paras 140, 144-146, 154)

EU trade markSurrender, revocation and invalidityRelative grounds for invalidityExistence of an earlier identical or similar mark enjoying a reputationFigurative mark PEPERO original and three-dimensional trade mark consisting of the shape of an oblong biscuit partially covered with chocolate

(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Arts 8(5) and 60(1)(a))

(see paras 156, 167, 177, 178, 188)

Re

Action brought against the decision of the First Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 11 May 2018 (Case R 913/2017-1) relating to invalidity proceedings between Générale Biscuit-Glico France and Lotte.

Operative part

The Court:

Dismisses the action;

Orders Lotte Corp. to pay the costs.