Judgment of the General Court (Sixth Chamber) of 10 November 2021 –
PIK-KO v EUIPO – Haribo Ricqles Zan (P.I.C. Co.)

(Case T‑73/21)

(EU trade mark – Invalidity proceedings – EU figurative mark P.I.C. Co. – Earlier national figurative mark PIK – Relative ground for refusal – Likelihood of confusion – Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001) – Article 53(1)(a) of Regulation No 207/2009 (now Article 60(1)(a) of Regulation 2017/1001) – Declaration of partial invalidity)

1.      EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Relative grounds for invalidity – Existence of an identical or similar earlier mark registered for identical or similar goods or services – Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark – Criteria for assessment

(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 8(1)(b) and 53(1)(a))

(see paras 19-21, 53)

2.      EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Relative grounds for invalidity – Existence of an identical or similar earlier mark registered for identical or similar goods or services – Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark – Assessment of the likelihood of confusion – Determination of the relevant public – Attention level of the public

(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 8(1)(b) and 53(1)(a))

(see para. 23)

3.      EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Relative grounds for invalidity – Existence of an identical or similar earlier 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, Arts 8(1)(b) and 53(1)(a))

(see para. 25)

4.      EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Relative grounds for invalidity – Existence of an identical or similar earlier mark registered for identical or similar goods or services – Similarity of the marks concerned – Criteria for assessment – Composite mark

(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 8(1)(b) and 53(1)(a))

(see paras 27, 28, 30)

5.      EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Relative grounds for invalidity – Existence of an identical or similar earlier mark registered for identical or similar goods or services – Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark – Criteria for assessment – Figurative marks P.I.C. Co. and PIK

(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 8(1)(b) and 53(1)(a))

(see paras 38, 47, 51, 52, 61-65)

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the Fifth Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 27 November 2020 (Case R 1847/2019-5), relating to invalidity proceedings between Haribo Ricqles Zan and PIK-KO.

Operative part

The Court:

1. Dismisses the action;

2. Orders PIK-KO AD to pay the costs.