Judgment of the General Court of 21 September 2012 - Wesergold Getränkeindustrie v OHIM - Lidl Stiftung (WESTERN GOLD)
(Case T-278/10)
(Community trade mark - Opposition proceedings - Application for Community word mark WESTERN GOLD - Earlier national, international and Community word marks WESERGOLD, Wesergold, and WeserGold - Relative grounds for refusal - No likelihood of confusion - Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 - Distinctiveness of the earlier marks)
Language of the case: German
Parties
Applicant: Wesergold Getränkeindustrie GmbH & Co. KG (Rinteln, Germany) (represented by: P. Goldenbaum, T. Melchert and I. Rohr, lawyers)
Defendant: Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (Trade Marks and Designs) (represented by: R. Pethke, Agent)
Other party to the proceedings before the Board of Appeal of OHIM, intervener before the General Court: Lidl Stiftung & Co. KG (Neckarsulm, Germany) (represented by A. Marx and M. Schaeffer, lawyers)
Re:
Action brought against the decision of the First Board Board of Appeal of OHIM of 24 March 2010 (Case R 770/2009-1) concerning opposition proceedings between Wesergold Getränkeindustrie GmbH & Co. KG and Lidl Stiftung & Co. KG
Operative part of the judgment
The Court:
Annuls the decision of the First Board of Appeal of the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (Trade Marks and Designs) (OHIM) of 24 March 2010 (Case R 770/2009-1);
Orders OHIM to bear its own costs and also to pay the costs of the applicant;
3. Orders Lidl Stiftung & Co. KG to bear its own costs.
____________1 - OJ C 221, 14.8.2010.