Judgment of the General Court (Third Chamber) of 13 June 2012 —
XXXLutz Marken v OHIM — Meyer Manufacturing (CIRCON)

(Case T‑542/10)

Community trade mark — Opposition proceedings — Application for Community word mark CIRCON — Prior Community word mark CIRCULON — Relative ground for refusal — Likelihood of confusion — Similarity of the signs — Highly distinctive character — Goodwill — Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 — Procedure before the Board of Appeal — Rights of the defence — Articles 75 and 76 of Regulation No 207/2009

1.                     Procedure — Application initiating proceedings — Formal requirements — Summary statement of pleas (Statute of the Court of Justice, Art. 21, first para.; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 44(1)(c)) (see para. 21)

2.                     Community trade mark — Procedural provisions — Decisions of the Office — Observance of the rights of the defence — Scope of the principle (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 42(1), and 75) (see paras 70-72, 90)

3.                     Community trade mark — Appeals procedure — Action before the EU judicature — Jurisdiction of the General Court — Amendment of a decision by the Office — Scope (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 65(3)) (see para. 98)

Re:

ACTION brought against the decision of the First Board of Appeal of OHIM of 3 September 2010 (Case R 40/2010‑1) concerning opposition proceedings between Meyer Manufacturing Co. Ltd and XXXLutz Marken GmbH.

Operative part

The Court:

1. Annuls the decision of the First Board of Appeal of the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (Trade Marks and Designs) (OHIM) of 3 September 2010 (Case R 40/2010‑1);

2. Orders OHIM to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by XXXLutz Marken GmbH;

3. Orders Meyer Manufacturing Co. Ltd to bear its own costs.