Judgment of the General Court of 16 September 2013 – Müller-Boré & Partner v OHIM – Popp and Others (MBP)
(Case T-338/09) 1
(Community trade mark – Opposition proceedings – Application for Community word mark MBP – Earlier Community word mark ip_law@mbp. – 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) – National sign used in the course of trade mbp.de – Article 8(4) of Regulation No 40/94 (now Article 8(4) of Regulation 207/2009)
Language of the case: German
Parties
Applicant: M Müller-Boré & Partner Patentanwälte . Rechtsanwälte (Munich, Germany) (represented by: C. Osterrieth and T. Schmitz, lawyers)
Defendant: Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (Trade Marks and Designs) (represented: initially by S. Schäffner, then A. Pohlmann, Agents)
Other parties to the proceedings before the Board of Appeal of OHIM: Eugen Popp (Munich, Germany); Wolf E. Sajda (Munich); Johannes Bohnenberger (Munich); and Volkmar Kruspig (Munich) (represented by: C. Rohnke, M. Jacob and J. Herrlinger, lawyers)
Re:
Action brought against the decision of the Fourth Board of Appeal of OHIM of 23 June 2009 (Case R 1176/2007-4), relating to opposition proceedings between Eugen Popp, Wolf E. Sajda, Johannes Bohnenberger, Volkmar Kruspig and Müller-Boré & Partner Rechtsanwälte . Patentanwälte.
Operative part of the judgment
The Court:
1. Dismisses the action;
2. Orders Müller-Boré & Partner Patentanwälte . Rechtsanwälte to pay the costs.
________________________1 OJ C 267, 7.11.2009.