Provisional text

Order of the General Court (Seventh Chamber) of 18 April 2016 —
Zhang v EUIPO — K & L Ruppert Stiftung (Anna Smith)

(Case T‑295/15)

EU trade mark — Opposition proceedings — Application for the EU word mark Anna Smith — Earlier EU word mark SMITH — Relative ground for refusal — Likelihood of confusion — Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 — Action in part manifestly inadmissible and in part manifestly lacking any foundation in law

1.                     EU trade mark — Appeals procedure — Action before the EU judicature — Jurisdiction of the General Court — Direction issued to the Office — Not included (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 65(6)) (see para. 15)

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 — Trade mark sought composed of one or more patronymics — Assessment of the likelihood of confusion according to the same criteria as those applicable to other categories of trade marks (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b)) (see para. 20)

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 — Word marks Anna Smith and SMITH (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b)) (see paras 21, 24, 27)

4.                     EU trade mark — Observations of third parties and opposition — Examination of the opposition — Proof of use of the earlier mark — Request presented expressly and on time by the applicant — Possibility of submitting the application for the first time before the Board of Appeal — Exclusion (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 42(2)) (see para. 32)

Re:

ACTION brought against the decision of the Fifth Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 27 February 2015 (Case R 1559/2014-5) concerning opposition proceedings between K & L Ruppert Stiftung & Co. Handels-KG and Mr Yongyu Zhang.

Operative part

1. The action is dismissed.

2. Mr Yongyu Zhang is ordered to pay the costs.