Judgment of the General Court (Fifth Chamber) of 18 May 2018 –
Italytrade v EUIPO — Tpresso (teaespresso)
(Case T‑68/17)
(EU trade mark — Opposition proceedings — Application for the EU word mark teaespresso — Earlier international figurative mark TPresso and earlier international word mark TPRESSO — Relative ground for refusal — Likelihood of confusion — Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001))
1. EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU 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 18, 19, 58)
2. EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU 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, 28, 29)
3. EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU 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 teaespresso — Figurative marks TPresso and word mark TPRESSO
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))
(see paras 30-34, 40-47, 56, 65, 69, 70)
4. EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU 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 — Similarity of the marks concerned — Breakdown of a word sign into word elements having concrete significance
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))
(see para. 53)
5. EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU 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 — Weak distinctive character of the earlier mark — Effect
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))
(see para. 67)
6. EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU 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 — Weighing elements of similarity or difference between the signs — Taking into account of the intrinsic characteristics of the signs or the conditions in which the goods or services are marketed
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))
(see para. 68)
Re:
| Action brought against the decision of the Fourth Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 29 November 2016 (Case R 1099/2016-4), relating to opposition proceedings between Tpresso and Italytrade. |
Operative part
The Court:
2. | | Orders Italytrade Srl to pay the costs. |