Judgment of the General Court of 10 November 2021 – Sanford v EUIPO – Avery Zweckform (Labels)
(Case T-443/20) 1
(Community design – Invalidity proceedings – Registered Community design representing a label – Earlier design – Proof of disclosure – Article 7(1) of Regulation (EC) No 6/2002 – Evidence submitted after the expiry of the prescribed time limit – Board of Appeal’s discretion – Article 63(2) of Regulation No 6/2002 – Ground for invalidity – No individual character – Article 6 and Article 25(1)(b) of Regulation No 6/2002)
Language of the case: English
Parties
Applicant: Sanford LP (Atlanta, Georgia, United States) (represented by: J. Zecher, lawyer)
Defendant: European Union Intellectual Property Office (represented by: J. Ivanauskas and V. Ruzek, acting as Agents)
Other party to the proceedings before the Board of Appeal of EUIPO, intervener before the General Court: Avery Zweckform GmbH (Oberlaindern/Valley, Germany) (represented by: H. Förster, lawyer)
Re:
Action brought against the decision of the Third Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 15 May 2020 (Case R 2413/2018-3), relating to invalidity proceedings between Avery Zweckform and Sanford.
Operative part of the judgment
The Court:
Dismisses the action;
Orders Sanford LP to pay the costs.
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1 OJ C 297, 7.9.2020.