Judgment of the General Court of 29 November 2023 – Piaggio & C. v EUIPO – Zhejiang Zhongneng Industry Group (Shape of a scooter)

(Case T-19/22) ¹

(EU trade mark – Invalidity proceedings – Three-dimensional EU trade mark – Shape of a scooter – Absolute ground for invalidity – No distinctive character – Article 7(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 7(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001) – Distinctive character acquired through use – Article 7(3) of Regulation No 207/2009 (now Article 7(3) of Regulation 2017/1001))

Language of the case: Italian

Parties

Applicant: Piaggio & C. SpA (Pontedera, Italy) (represented by: F. Jacobacci and B. La Tella, lawyers)

Defendant: European Union Intellectual Property Office (represented by: M. Capostagno, D. Gája and J. Crespo Carrillo, acting as Agents)

Other party to the proceedings before the Board of Appeal of EUIPO, intervener before the General Court: Zhejiang Zhongneng Industry Group Co. Ltd (Taizhou, China) (represented by: M. Spolidoro, M. Gurrado, L. Mendola and M. Balestriero, lawyers)

Re:

By its action under Article 263 TFEU, the applicant seeks the annulment of the decision of the Fifth Board of Appeal of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) of 25 October 2021 (Case R 359/2021-5).

Operative part of the judgment

The Court:

Annuls the decision of the Fifth Board of Appeal of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) of 25 October 2021 (Case R 359/2021-5);

Orders EUIPO and Zhejiang Zhongneng Industry Group Co. Ltd to bear their own costs and to pay those incurred by Piaggio & C. SpA.

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¹     OJ C 95, 28.2.2022.