Judgment of the General Court of 1 September 2021 – Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe v EUIPO – Wong (GT RACING)

(Case T-463/20) ¹

(EU trade mark – Opposition proceedings – Application for EU word mark GT RACING – Earlier EU figurative trade mark representing bold curved, vertical and horizontal lines – Earlier EU word mark GT – Relative ground for refusal – Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001) – Article 8(5) of Regulation No 207/2009 (now Article 8(5) of Regulation 2017/1001) – Earlier non-registered national marks – Article 8(4) of Regulation No 207/2009 (now Article 8(4) of Regulation 2017/1001) – Rules governing common-law action for passing off – No misrepresentation – Use in the course of trade of more than mere local significance – Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union and from Euratom)

Language of the case: English

Parties

Applicant: Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe Ltd (London, United Kingdom) (represented by: S. Malynicz QC and M. Maier, lawyer)

Defendant: European Union Intellectual Property Office (represented by: H. O’Neill and V. Ruzek, acting as Agents)

Other party to the proceedings before the Board of Appeal of EUIPO: Wai Leong Wong (Glasgow, United Kingdom)

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the Fourth Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 8 May 2020 (Case R 1612/2019-4), relating to opposition proceedings between Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe and Mr Wong.

Operative part of the judgment

The Court:

Dismisses the action;

Orders Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe Ltd to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO).

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¹     OJ C 313, 21.9.2020.