Judgment of the General Court (Fifth Chamber) of 3 June 2015 — Levi Strauss v OHIM — L&O Hunting Group (101)

(Case T‑604/13)

Community trade mark — Opposition proceedings — Application for Community word mark 101 — Earlier Community word mark 501 — Relative ground for refusal — Likelihood of confusion — Similarity of the signs — 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 — Criteria for assessment (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b)) (see paras 20-23)

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 — Word marks 101 and 501 (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b)) (see paras 26, 28, 40, 44, 47, 48, 50)

Re:

ACTION brought against the decision of the Second Board of Appeal of OHIM of 6 September 2013 (Case R 1538/2012-2) concerning opposition proceedings between Levi Strauss & Co. and L&O Hunting Group GmbH.

Operative part

The Court:

1. Annuls the decision of the Second Board of Appeal of the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (OHIM) of 6 September 2013 (Case R 1538/2012-2) concerning opposition proceedings between Levi Strauss & Co. and L&O Hunting Group GmbH;

2. Orders OHIM and L&O Hunting Group GmbH to bear their own costs and to pay the costs incurred by Levi Strauss & Co.