Judgment of the Court (Fourth Chamber) of 3 June 2021 – The Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd v Pirelli Tyre SpA (C-818/18 P), European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) v Pirelli Tyre SpA (C-6/19 P)
(Joined Cases C-818/18 P and C-6/19 P) 1
(Appeal – EU trade mark – Absolute grounds for refusal or invalidity of registration – Sign consisting exclusively of the shape of goods which is necessary to obtain a technical result – Regulation (EC) No 40/94 – Article 7(1)(e)(ii) – Sign consisting of a shape which does not represent a significant part of the goods)
Language of the case: English
Parties
(Case C-818/18 P)
Appellant: The Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd (represented by: D. Martucci and F. Boscariol de Roberto, avvocati)
Other parties to the proceedings: Pirelli Tyre SpA (represented by: T.M. Müller and F. Togo, Rechtsanwälte), European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) (represented by: J. Ivanauskas, acting as Agent)
Intervener in support of the defendant: European Association of Trade Mark Owners (Marques) (represented by: M. Viefhues, Rechtsanwalt)
(Case C-6/19 P)
Appellant: European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) (represented by: J. Ivanauskas, acting as Agent)
Other parties to the proceedings: Pirelli Tyre SpA (represented by: T.M. Müller and F. Togo, Rechtsanwälte), The Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd (represented by: D. Martucci and F. Boscariol de Roberto, avvocati)
Intervener in support of the defendant: European Association of Trade Mark Owners (Marques) (represented by: M. Viefhues, Rechtsanwalt)
Operative part of the judgment
The Court:
Dismisses the appeals in Cases C-818/18 P and C-6/19 P;
Orders The Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) to bear their own costs in relation to the appeal proceedings in Cases C-818/18 P and C-6/19 P and to pay, in equal parts, the costs incurred by Pirelli Tyre SpA in relation to those proceedings;
Orders the European Association of Trade Mark Owners (Marques) to bear its own costs.
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1 OJ C 148, 29.4.2019.