Judgment of the General Court (Ninth Chamber) of 26 January 2022

1. Judicial proceedingsApplication initiating proceedingsFormal requirementsSummary of the pleas in law relied onAbstract statementInadmissibility

(Statute of the Court of Justice, Arts 21, first para., and 53, first para.; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 177(1)(d))

(see paras 17, 18)

2. EU trade markDefinition and acquisition of the EU 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 markCriteria for assessment

(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))

(see paras 28-30, 60, 61, 69, 93)

3. EU trade markDefinition and acquisition of the EU 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 confusionDetermination of the relevant publicAttention level of the public

(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))

(see para. 32)

4. EU trade markDefinition and acquisition of the EU 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 mark WOOD STEP LAMINATE FLOORING and word mark STEP

(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))

(see paras 36, 37, 76, 98-102)

5. EU trade markDefinition and acquisition of the EU 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 assessmentComposite mark

(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))

(see paras 40, 41, 46, 73, 85)

6. EU trade markDefinition and acquisition of the EU 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 concernedAssessment of the distinctive character of an element of which a trade mark is composed

(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))

(see paras 43, 54)

7. EU trade markDefinition and acquisition of the EU 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 concernedElements of a trade mark having a descriptive character

(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 8(1)(b))

(see paras 44, 45)

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the First Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 4 June 2020 (Case R 1630/2019-1), relating to opposition proceedings between Forbo Financial Services and Diego Kereskedelmi és Szolgáltató.

Operative part

The Court:

1. Dismisses the action;

2. Orders Diego Kereskedelmi és Szolgáltató Kft. to pay the costs.