Judgment of the General Court (Second Chamber) of 13 December 2011 – Meica v OHIM – Bösinger Fleischwaren (Schinken King)

(Case T-61/09)

Community trade mark – Opposition proceedings – Application for Community word mark Schinken King – Earlier national word mark King – Earlier national and Community word marks Curry King – Relative ground for refusal – Likelihood of confusion – Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 40/94 (now Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009) – Duty to state reasons – Article 73 of Regulation No 40/94 (now Article 75 of Regulation No 207/2009)

Community trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the Community 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 (Council Regulation No 40/94, Art. 8(1)(b)) (see paras 40-41, 51-53, 57-62)

Re:

ACTION brought against the decision of the First Board of Appeal of OHIM of 11 December 2008 (Case R 1049/2007-1) relating to opposition proceedings between Meica Ammerländische Fleischwarenfabrik Fritz Meinen GmbH & Co. KG and Bösinger Fleischwaren GmbH.

Operative part

The Court:

1. Annuls the decision of the First Board of Appeal of the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (Trade Marks and Designs) (OHIM) of 11 December 2008 (Case R 1049/2007-1);

2. Orders OHIM to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by Meica Ammerländische Fleischwarenfabrik Fritz Meinen GmbH & Co. KG.