Judgment of the General Court of 7 September 2016 — Victor international v EUIPO — Ovejero Jiménez and Becerra Guibert (VICTOR)

(Case T-204/14) ¹

(EU Trade Mark — Opposition proceedings — Application for the EU word mark VICTOR — Earlier national figurative mark victoria — Relative ground for refusal — Genuine use of the earlier mark — Nature of use — Form differing in elements which do not alter the distinctive character — Article 15(1) and Article 42(2) and (3) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 — Likelihood of confusion — Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation No 207/2009)

Language of the case: English

Parties

Applicant: Victor International GmbH (Elmshorn, Germany) (represented by: R. Kaase and J.-C. Plate, lawyers)

Defendant: European Union Intellectual Property Office (represented by: J. García Murillo and A. Folliard-Monguiral, acting as Agents)

Other parties to the proceedings before the Board of Appeal of EUIPO, interveners before the Court: Gregorio Ovejero Jiménez (Alicante, Spain) and María Luisa Cristina Becerra Guibert (Alicante) (represented by: M. Veiga Serrano, lawyer)

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the Second Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 22 January 2014 (Case R 2208/2012-2), relating to opposition proceedings between Mr Ovejero Jiménez and Ms Becerra Guibert, on the one hand, and Victor International, on the other.

Operative part of the judgment

The Court:

1.    Dismisses the action;

2.    Orders Victor International GmbH to pay the costs.

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¹     OJ C 245, 28.7.2014.