Judgment of the General Court (Fourth Chamber) of 13 December 2016 — Guiral Broto v EUIPO — Gastro & Soul (Café del Sol)

(Case T‑548/15)

(EU trade mark — Opposition proceedings — Application for the EU word mark Café del Sol — Earlier national figurative mark Café del Sol — Failure to submit evidence in the language of the opposition proceedings — Articles 75 and 76 of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 — Rules 19 and 20 of Regulation (EC) No 2868/95 — Rights of the defence)

1.      EU trade mark — Appeals procedure — Appeal against a decision of the Opposition 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

(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 41; Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 63(1), 64(1), and 76; Commission Regulation No 2868/95, Art. 1, Rules 20(1), and 50(1), third subpara.)

(see paras 21-24, 35, 36, 38)

2.      EU trade mark — Procedural provisions — Examination of the facts of the Office’s own motion — Opposition proceedings — Examination restricted to the submissions of the parties — Examination of a legal question of the Office’s own motion — Condition

(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 76(1))

(see para. 25)

3.      EU trade mark — Procedural provisions — 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; Commission Regulation No 2868/95, Art. 1, Rules 19 and 20(1))

(see paras 30-32, 42, 43, 45)

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

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

(see para. 47)

Re:

ACTION brought against the decision of the Fifth Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 16 July 2015 (Case R 2755/2014-5), relating to opposition proceedings between Mr Guiral Broto and Gastro & Soul.

Operative part

The Court:

1. Annuls the decision of the Fifth Board of Appeal of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) of 16 July 2015 (Case R 2755/2014-5), relating to opposition proceedings between Mr Ramón Guiral Broto and Gastro & Soul GmbH;

2. Dismisses the action as to the remainder;

3. Orders EUIPO and Mr Guiral Broto each to bear their own costs.