Judgment of the General Court (Seventh Chamber) of 20 March 2019 –
Prim v EUIPO — Primed Halberstadt Medizintechnik (PRIMED)

(Case T‑138/17)

(EU trade mark — Invalidity proceedings — EU word mark PRIMED — Earlier national figurative marks PRIM S.A., PRiM, S.A. SUMINISTROS MEDICOS and GRUPO PRiM — Genuine use of the earlier marks — Article 57(2) and (3) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 64(2) and (3) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001) — Right to be heard — Second sentence of Article 75 of Regulation No 207/2009 (now second sentence of Article 94(1) of Regulation 2017/1001) — Submission of evidence for the first time before the Board of Appeal — Discretion of the Board of Appeal — Classification as new or additional evidence — Article 76(2) of Regulation No 207/2009 (now Article 95(2) of Regulation 2017/1001))

1.      EU trade mark — Decisions of the Office — Observance of the rights of the defence — Scope of the principle

(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 41(2)(a); Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 75, second sentence)

(see paras 25-28, 42)

2.      EU trade mark — Appeals procedure — Appeal brought against a decision by the Cancellation Division of EUIPO — Examination by the Board of Appeal — Scope — Facts and evidence not produced in support of the opposition within the period prescribed for that purpose — Account taken — Discretion of the Board of Appeal — No contrary provision

(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 53(1)(a), 57(2) and (3), 63(2), 76(2), and 78; Commission Regulation No 2868/95, Art. 1, Rule 40(6))

(see paras 46-53)

3.      EU trade mark — Appeals procedure — Action before the EU judicature — Power of the General Court to vary the contested decision — Limits

(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 65(3))

(see para. 63)

4.      EU trade mark — Appeals procedure — Action before the EU judicature — Jurisdiction of the General Court — Declaratory judgments — Not included

(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 65(2) and (3))

(see para. 67)

5.      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. 69)

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the Fourth Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 19 December 2016 (Joined Cases R 2494/2015-4 and R 163/2016-4), relating to invalidity proceedings between Prim and Primed Halberstadt Medizintechnik.

Operative part

The Court:

1. Annuls the decision of the Fourth Board of Appeal of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) of 19 December 2016 (Joined Cases R 2494/2015-4 and R 163/2016-4);

2. Dismisses the action as to the remainder;

3. Orders EUIPO to bear its own costs and to pay half of those incurred by Prim, SA;

4. Orders Primed Halberstadt Medizintechnik GmbH to bear its own costs and to pay half of those incurred by Prim.