Judgment of the General Court (Second Chamber) of 14 May 2013 — Morelli v OHIM — Associazione nazionale circolo del popolo della libertà and Brambilla (PARTITO DELLA LIBERTA’)

(Cases T‑321/11 and T‑322/11)

Community trade mark — Opposition proceedings — Application for a Community word mark PARTITO DELLA LIBERTA’ and the Community figurative mark Partito della Libertà — Name of the earlier national domain name ‘partitodellaliberta.it’ — Article 8(4) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 — Failure to demonstrate the use of the earlier domain name ‘partitodellaliberta.it’ in the course of trade

1.                     Community trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the Community trade mark — Relative grounds for refusal — Opposition by the holder of an unregistered mark or other sign used in trade — Conditions — Interpretation in the light of EU law (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(4)) (see paras 29-31)

2.                     Community trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the Community trade mark — Relative grounds for refusal — Opposition by the holder of an unregistered mark or other sign used in trade — Use of the sign in trade — Concept — Use in the context of a commercial activity for economic advantage (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(4)) (see paras 32, 33)

3.                     Community trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the Community trade mark — Relative grounds for refusal — Opposition by the holder of an unregistered mark or other sign used in trade — Local scope of sign (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(4)) (see paras 34, 35)

4.                     Community trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the Community trade mark — Relative grounds for refusal — Opposition by the holder of an unregistered mark or other sign used in trade — Use of the sign in trade — Temporal criterion (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(4)(a)) (see para. 36)

5.                     Community trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the Community trade mark — Relative grounds for refusal — Opposition by the holder of an unregistered mark or other sign used in trade — Local scope of sign — Word and figurative marks PARTITO DELLA LIBERTA’ and Partito della Libertà — Domain name ‘partitodellaliberta.it’ (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(4)) (see paras 40, 43, 44, 50)

Re:

ACTIONS brought against the decisions of the First Board of Appeal of OHIM of 17 March 2011 (Cases R 1303/2010-1 and R 1304/2010-1) relating to opposition proceedings between Mr Raffaello Morelli, and, respectively, l’Associazione nazionale circolo del popolo della libertà and Mrs Michela Vittoria Brambilla.

Operative part

The Court:

1. Joins Cases T‑321/11 and T‑322/11 for the purposes of the judgment;

2. Dismisses the actions;

3. Orders Mr Raffaello Morelli to pay the costs.