Judgment of the General Court (First Chamber) of 18 June 2013 — Otero González v OHIM — Apli-Agipa (APLI-AGIPA)

(Case T‑522/11)

Community trade mark — Opposition proceedings — Application for the Community word mark APLI-AGIPA — Earlier national word mark AGIPA — Relative ground for refusal — Likelihood of confusion — Comparison of the goods — Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009

1.                     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 — Assessment of the likelihood of confusion — Criteria (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b)) (see paras 26-28)

2.                     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 — Word marks APLI-AGIPA and AGIPA (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b)) (see paras 31, 36-39)

3.                     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 — Similarity between the goods or services in question — Criteria for assessment (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b)) (see para. 32)

4.                     Community trade mark — Appeals procedure — Action before the EU judicature — Jurisdiction of the General Court — Direction issued to the Office — Exclusion (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 65(6)) (see para. 41)

Re:

ACTION brought against the decision of the Second Board of Appeal of OHIM of 13 July 2011 (Case R 1454/2010-2), relating to opposition proceedings between Mr José Luis Otero González and Apli-Agipa SAS.

Operative part

The Court:

1. Annuls the decision of the Second Board of Appeal of the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (Trade Marks and Designs) (OHIM) of 13 July 2011 (Case R 1454/2010-2) relating to opposition proceedings between Mr José Luis Otero González and Apli-Agipa SAS in so far as it upholds Apli-Agipa’s appeal and grants it registration of the Community word mark AGIPA in respect of the ‘photographs; adhesives for stationery or household purposes; paint brushes; office requisites (except furniture); instructional and teaching material (except apparatus); plastic materials for packaging (not included in other classes); printers’ type; printing blocks’ in Class 16 of the Nice Agreement concerning the International Classification of Goods and Services for the Purpose of the Registration of Marks of 15 June 1957, as revised and amended;

2. Dismisses the action as to the remainder;

3. Orders OHIM to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by Mr Otero González;

4. Orders Apli-Agipa to bear its own costs.