Judgment of the General Court (Eighth Chamber) of 6 December 2013 —
Premiere Polish v OHIM — Donau Kanol (ECOFORCE)

(Case T‑361/12)

Community trade mark — Opposition proceedings — Application for the Community word mark ECOFORCE — Earlier Community figurative mark ECO FORTE — Likelihood of confusion — Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009

1.                     Community trade mark — Appeals procedure — Action before the EU judicature — Jurisdiction of the General Court — Direction issued to the Office — Not permitted (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 65(6)) (see para. 17)

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 — Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark — Criteria for assessment (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b)) (see paras 19, 20, 50)

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 ECOFORCE and figurative mark ECO FORTE (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b)) (see paras 21, 30, 36, 41, 47, 51)

4.                     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 — Complex mark (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b)) (see paras 24, 25, 32)

Re:

ACTION brought against the decision of the Fourth Board of Appeal of OHIM of 8 June 2012 (Case R 851/2011-4), relating to opposition proceedings between Donau Kanol GmbH & Co. KG and Premiere Polish Co. Ltd.

Operative part

The Court:

1. Dismisses the action;

2. Orders Premiere Polish Co. Ltd to pay the costs.