Judgment of the General Court (Third Chamber) of 23 September 2014 — Groupe Léa Nature v OHIM — Debonair Trading Internacional (SO’BiO ētic)

(Case T‑341/13)

Community trade mark — Opposition proceedings — Application for Community figurative mark SO’BiO ētic — Earlier Community and national word and figurative marks SO…? — Relative grounds for refusal — No likelihood of confusion — Article 8(1)(b) and (5) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 — Lack of genuine use of the earlier mark — Article 42(2) and (3) of Regulation No 207/2009

1.                     Community trade mark — Observations of third parties and opposition — Examination of the opposition — Proof of use of the earlier mark — Need to determine that question, once raised by the applicant, before the decision on the opposition (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 42(2)) (see para. 21)

2.                     Union law — Principles — Protection of legitimate expectations — Conditions (see para. 24)

3.                     Community trade mark — Appeals procedure — Boards of Appeal — Classification as administration of the Office — Right of the parties to a fair ‘process’ — None (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 62 to 64) (see para. 25)

4.                     Community trade mark — Decisions of the Office — Observance of the rights of the defence — Scope of the principle (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 75) (see para. 26)

5.                     Community trade mark — Observations of third parties and opposition — Examination of the opposition — Proof of use of the earlier mark — Genuine use — Concept — Interpretation having regard to the rationale of Article 42(2) and (3) of Regulation No 207/2009 (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 42(2) and (3); Commission Regulation No 2868/95, Art. 1, Rule 22(3)) (see para. 31)

6.                     Community trade mark — Observations of third parties and opposition — Examination of the opposition — Proof of use of the earlier mark — Genuine use — Concept — Criteria for assessment (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 42, (2) and (3)) (see paras 42-45)

7.                     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 — Criteria for assessment (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b)) (see paras 56-59)

8.                     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 — Similarity of the marks concerned — Criteria for assessment (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b)) (see paras 63‑66)

9.                     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 — Similarity of the marks concerned — Criteria for assessment — Composite mark — Determination of dominant component(s) (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b)) (see para. 67)

10.                     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 — Similarity of the marks concerned — Elements of a trade mark having a descriptive character (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b)) (see para. 68)

11.                     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 — Figurative mark SO’BiO ētic and word marks SO... ? (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b)) (see paras 78, 79, 82-84, 87-90)

12.                     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 — Protection of well-known earlier mark extended to dissimilar goods or services — Conditions (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(5)) (see para. 99)

Re:

ACTION brought against the decision of the First Board of Appeal of OHIM of 26 March 2013 (Case R 203/2011-1), relating to opposition proceedings between Debonair Trading Internacional Lda and Groupe Léa Nature SA.

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 26 March 2013 (Case R 203/2011-1);

2. Orders OHIM and Debonair Trading Internacional Lda each to bear their own costs, and to pay the costs of Groupe Léa Nature SA.