Judgment of the General Court (Eighth Chamber) of 26 June 2018 –
France.com v EUIPO — France (FRANCE.com)

(Case T‑71/17)

(EU trade mark — Opposition proceedings — Application for the EU figurative mark FRANCE.com — Earlier international figurative mark France — Relative ground for refusal — Likelihood of confusion — Similarity of the signs — Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001))

1.      Questions referred for a preliminary ruling — Reference to the Court — Questions formulated in the context of opposition proceedings before the General Court — Inadmissibility

(Arts 256 TFEU and 267 TFEU; Statute of the Court of Justice, Art. 50a and 51)

(see paras 20, 21)

2.      EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU 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 42, 43, 87)

3.      EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU 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 — Figurative marks FRANCE.com and France

(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))

(see paras 44, 45, 48-50, 52, 63, 94, 99)

4.      EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU 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 — Similarity of the marks concerned — Criteria for assessment — Composite mark — Determination of the dominant elements

(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))

(see paras 47, 54, 55, 61, 62, 74)

5.      EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU 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 — Similarity of the marks concerned — Elements of a trade mark having a descriptive character

(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))

(see paras 51, 53)

6.      EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU 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 — Weak distinctive character of the earlier mark — Effect

(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))

(see para. 97)

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the First Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 20 October 2016 (Case R 2452/2015-1) relating to opposition proceedings between the French Republic and France.com.

Operative part

The Court:

1. Dismisses the action;

2. Orders France.com, Inc., to pay the costs.

2. Orders France.com, Inc., to pay the costs.