Judgment of the Court (Tenth Chamber) of 17 September 2020 – European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) v Lionel Andrés Messi Cuccittini, J.M.-E.V. e hijos SRL (C-449/18 P) and J.M.-E.V. e hijos SRL v Lionel Andrés Messi Cuccittini, European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) (C-474/18 P)
(Joined Cases C-449/18 P and C-474/18 P) 1
(Appeal – EU trade mark – Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 – Article 8(1)(b) – Opposition proceedings – Application for EU figurative mark MESSI – Earlier EU word marks MASSI – Partial refusal of registration
Language of the case: Spanish
Parties
(Case C-449/18 P)
Appellant: European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) (represented by: S. Palmero Cabezas, Acting as Agent)
Other parties to the proceedings: Lionel Andrés Messi Cuccittini (represented by: J.-Y. Teindas Maillard and J.-B. Devaureix, abogados), J.M.-E.V. e hijos SRL (represented by: J. Güell Serra and R. Gimeno-Bayón Cobos, abogados)
(Case C-474/18 P)
Appellant: J.M.-E.V. e hijos SRL (represented by: J. Güell Serra and R. Gimeno-Bayón Cobos, abogados)
Other parties to the proceedings: Lionel Andrés Messi Cuccittini (represented by: J.-Y. Teindas Maillard and J.-B. Devaureix, abogados), European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) (represented by: S. Palmero Cabezas, Acting as Agent)
Operative part of the judgment
The Court:
Dismisses the appeals;
Orders the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) to bear its own costs and to pay the costs incurred by Mr Lionel Andrés Messi Cuccittini in Case C-449/18 P;
Orders J.M.-E.V. e hijos SRL to bear its own costs and to pay the costs incurred by Mr Lionel Andrés Messi Cuccittini and by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) in Case C-474/18 P.
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1 OJ C 392, 29.10.2018.