Judgment of the General Court (Seventh Chamber) of 1 February 2013 — Coin v OHIM — Dynamiki Zoi (Fitcoin)

(Case T‑272/11)

Community trade mark — Opposition proceedings — Application for the Community word mark Fitcoin — Earlier national, Community and international figurative marks coin — Relative ground for refusal — Likelihood of confusion — Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009

1.                     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 20, 21)

2.                     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 22, 23)

3.                     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 — Word mark Fitcoin and figurative marks coin (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b)) (see paras 24, 25, 30-39)

Re:

ACTION brought against the decision of the Second Board of Appeal of OHIM of 21 February 2011 (Case R 1836/2010‑2), relating to opposition proceedings between Coin SpA and Dynamiki Zoi AE.

Operative part

The Court:

1. Annuls the decision of the Second Board of Appeal of the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (Trade Marks and Designs) (OHIM) of 21 February 2011 (Case R 1836/2010‑2) in so far as it rejected the opposition as regards the ‘Clothing, including footwear and slippers’ in Class 25;

2. Dismisses the action as to the remainder;

3. Orders OHIM to bear its own costs and to pay a third of the costs incurred by Coin SpA;

4. Orders Coin to bear two-thirds of its own costs.