Judgment of the General Court (Sixth Chamber) of 18 September 2014 — Polo/Lauren v OHIM — FreshSide (Representation of a boy on a bicycle holding a mallet)

(Case T‑265/13)

Community trade mark — Opposition proceedings — Application for a Community figurative mark representing a boy on a bicycle holding a mallet — Earlier Community and national figurative marks representing a polo player — Relative grounds for refusal — Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 — Article 8(5) of Regulation 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 — Similarity of the marks concerned — Criteria for assessment (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b)) (see paras 22, 23)

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 — Figurative mark representing a boy on a bicycle holding a mallet — Figurative marks representing a polo player (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b), and (5)) (see paras 25-27, 30-33, 39)

Re:

ACTION brought against the decision of the Second Board of Appeal of OHIM of 1 March 2013 (Case R 15/2012-2), relating to opposition proceedings between The Polo/Lauren Company, LP and FreshSide Ltd.

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 1 March 2013 (Case R 15/2012-2);

2. Orders OHIM to bear its own costs and to pay the costs incurred by The Polo/Lauren Company, LP;

3. Orders FreshSide Ltd to bear its own costs.