Judgment of the General Court (Seventh Chamber) of 19 April 2013 — Hultafors Group v OHIM — Società Italiana Calzature (Snickers)

(Case T‑537/11)

Community trade mark — Opposition proceedings — Application for Community figurative mark Snickers — Earlier national word mark KICKERS — Likelihood of confusion — Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009

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 — Figurative mark Snickers and word mark KICKERS (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b)) (see paras 26, 27, 38, 47, 52, 54-56)

Re:

ACTION brought against the decision of the Fourth Board of Appeal of OHIM of 9 August 2011 (Case R 2519/2010‑4) relating to opposition proceedings between Società Italiana Calzature SpA and Hultafors Group AB.

Operative part

The Court:

1. Dismisses the action;

2. Orders Hultafors Group AB to pay the costs incurred by the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (Trade Marks and Designs) (OHIM) and Società Italiana Calzature SpA in the proceedings before the General Court, and the costs incurred by Società Italiana Calzature SpA for the purposes of the proceedings before the Board of Appeal.