Judgment of the General Court (Ninth Chamber) of 22 September 2021 –
Henry Cotton’s Brand Management v EUIPO – Industries Sportswear (Henry Cotton’s)

(Case T‑173/20)

(EU trade mark – Proceedings for the revocation of decisions or for the cancellation of entries – Cancellation of an entry in the register which contains an obvious error attributable to EUIPO – Trade marks involved in insolvency proceedings – Registration of the transfers of the marks – Effects vis-à-vis third parties of bankruptcy or similar proceedings – Competence of EUIPO – Duty of diligence – Articles 20, 24, 27 and 103 of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001 – Articles 3, 7 and 19 of Regulation (EU) 2015/848)

1.      EU trade mark – EU trade marks as objects of property – Transfer – Entry of the transfer in the register – Trade mark involved in insolvency proceedings – Third-party effects – EUIPO’s competence – Duty of diligence

(European Parliament and Council Regulations No 2015/848, Recital 36 and Arts 3, 7 and 19, and No 2017/1001, Arts 20, 24 and 27; Commission Regulation No 2018/626, Art. 13)

(see paras 59-70, 72-75, 85, 86)

2.      EU trade mark – EU trade marks as objects of property – Third-party effects – Bankruptcy proceedings

(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 27)

(see paras 101, 102)

3.      EU trade mark – Procedural provisions – Cancellation or revocation – Condition – Obvious error – Concept – Failure to enter insolvency proceedings concerning the proprietor of a trade mark in the register – Transfer of the trade mark entered in the register without taking the insolvency proceedings into account – Included

(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Arts 20, 24, 27 and 103)

(see paras 111-113, 115-120)

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the Second Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 10 February 2020 (Joined Cases R 254/2019-2 and R 255/2019-2), relating to proceedings between Industries Sportswear and Henry Cotton’s Brand Management regarding the cancellation of entries in the register.

Operative part

The Court:

1. Dismisses the action;

2. Orders Henry Cotton’s Brand Management Co. Ltd to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and by Industries Sportswear Co. Srl.