Judgment of the General Court (First Chamber) of 15 July 2011 – Ergo Versicherungsgruppe v OHIM – Société de développement et de recherche industrielle (ERGO Group)

(Case T-221/09)

Community trade mark – Opposition proceedings – Application for Community word mark ERGO Group – Earlier Community word mark URGO – Relative ground for refusal – Likelihood of confusion – Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 40/94 (now Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009)

Community trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the Community trade mark – Relative grounds for refusal – Opposition by the proprietor of an earlier identical or similar mark registered for identical or similar goods or services – Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark (Council Regulation No 40/94, Art. 8(1)(b)) (see paras 19-21, 58-59)

Re:

ACTION brought against the decision of the Fourth Board of Appeal of OHIM of 20 March 2009 (Case R 520/2008-4) relating to opposition proceedings between Société de développement et de recherche industrielle and Ergo Versicherungsgruppe AG.

Operative part

The Court:

1. 1. Dismisses the action;

2. 2. Orders Ergo Versicherungsgruppe AG to pay the costs.