Judgment of the General Court (Seventh Chamber) of 4 May 2018 –
Skyleader v EUIPO — Sky International (SKYLEADER)

(Case T‑34/17)

(EU trade mark — Revocation proceedings — EU figurative mark SKYLEADER — Failure to take into account evidence adduced before the Board of Appeal — Article 76(2) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 95(2) of Regulation (EU) No 2017/1001) — Article 51(1)(a) of Regulation No 207/2009 (now Article 58(1)(a) of Regulation 2017/1001] — Rule 40(5) of Regulation (EC) No 2868/95 (now Article 19(1) of Delegated Regulation (EU 2017/1430))

1.      Actions for annulment — Jurisdiction of the EU judicature — Claim for a declaratory judgment — Inadmissibility

(Art. 263 TFEU)

(see para. 19)

2.      EU trade mark — Procedural provisions — Revocation proceedings — Facts and evidence not submitted within the prescribed time-limit — Account taken — Discretion of the Board of Appeal

(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 51(1)(a) and 76(2); Commission Regulation No 2868/95, Art. 1, Rule 40(5))

(see paras 26-31)

3.      EU trade mark — Surrender, revocation and invalidity — Examination of the application — Proof of use of the earlier mark — Genuine use — Examination by EUIPO of its own motion — None

(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 15, 42(2), 51(1), 57(2) and 76(1); Commission Regulation No 2868/95, Art. 1, Rule 40(5))

(see paras 34, 39)

4.      EU trade mark — Procedural provisions — Time-limits — Claim barred by lapse of time — Exceptions — Obligation of care and diligence

(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 60)

(see para. 37)

5.      EU trade mark — Decisions of the Office — Obligation to inform the parties of the judicial remedies available and of the time-limits — None

(Council Regulation No 207/2009)

(see para. 43)

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the Fourth Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 21 November 2016 (Case R 805/2016-4), relating to revocation proceedings between Sky International and Skyleader.

Operative part

The Court:

1. Dismisses the action;

2. Orders Skyleader a.s. to pay the costs, including those necessarily incurred by Sky International AG for the purposes of the proceedings before the Board of Appeal of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO).