Judgment of the General Court (Ninth Chamber) of 28 January 2016 —
Gugler France v OHIM — Gugler (GUGLER)

(Case T‑674/13)

Community trade mark — Invalidity proceedings — Community figurative mark GUGLER — Absolute ground for refusal — Article 52(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 — Relative ground for refusal — Article 8(4) and Article 53(1)(c) of Regulation No 207/2009 — Obligation to state reasons — Article 75 of Regulation No 207/2009 — Ground raised by the Court of its own motion

1.                     Community trade mark — Surrender, revocation and invalidity — Relative grounds for invalidity — Existence of an earlier trade mark as referred to in Article 8(4) of Regulation No 207/2009 — Conditions — Interpretation in the light of EU law — Assessment by reference to the criteria determined by the national law governing the sign relied on (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 8(4), and 53(1)(c)) (see paras 34-36)

2.                     Community trade mark — Surrender, revocation and invalidity — Invalidity action based on the existence of an earlier national right — Burden of proof (Council Regulation No207/2009, Arts 8(4)(b), and 53(1)(c)) (see paras 37, 38)

3.                     Actions for annulment — Grounds — Infringement of essential procedural requirements — Inadequate statement of reasons — To be considered of the Court’s own motion — Obligation to comply with the audi ateram partem principle (Arts 263 TFEU and 296 TFEU) (see paras 53, 54)

4.                     Community trade mark — Surrender, revocation and invalidity — Absolute grounds for invalidity — Applicant in bad faith when lodging the trade mark application — Criteria for assessment — Taking into account of all relevant factors at the time of filing the application for registration (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 52(1)(b)) (see paras 72-74)

5.                     Community trade mark — Appeals procedure — Action before the EU judicature — Power of the General Court to alter the contested decision — Limits (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 65(3)) (see para. 100)

Re:

ACTION brought against the decision of the Fourth Board of Appeal of OHIM of 16 October 2013 (Case R 356/2012-4), relating to invalidity proceedings between Gugler France and Mr Alexander Gugler.

Operative part

The Court:

1. Annuls the decision of the Fourth Board of Appeal of the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (Trade Marks and Designs) (OHIM) of 16 October 2013 (Case R 356/2012-4);

2. Dismisses the action as to the remainder;

3. Orders OHIM to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by Gugler France in the course of the proceedings before the Court.