bett1.de v EUIPO - XXXLutz Marken (Body-Star) (EU trade mark - Judgment) French Text [2022] EUECJ T-599/21 (05 October 2022)

bett1.de v EUIPO - XXXLutz Marken (Body-Star) (EU trade mark - Judgment) French Text [2022] EUECJ T-599/21 (05 October 2022)

The Board of Appeal erred in finding no likelihood of confusion for goods in classes 20 and 24, as the marks are similar to a medium degree visually and phonetically and to a low degree conceptually, and the goods are identical or similar. The differences are not sufficient to exclude confusion. For class 10 goods,...

Source-derived case information.

Citation
[2022] EUECJ T-599/21
Parties
Applicant: bett1.de GmbH; Respondent: Office de l’Union européenne pour la propriété intellectuelle (EUIPO); Intervener: XXXLutz Marken GmbH
Jurisdiction
European Union
Procedural Posture
EU Trade Mark Annulment Appeal / Judgment on Appeal From EUIPO Board of Appeal
Outcome
Appeal partially upheld; Board of Appeal decision annulled in part.
Legal Topics
EU Trade Mark Law, Likelihood of Confusion, Distinctiveness of Marks, Comparison of Goods and Services
Intellectual Property European Union Law EU Trade Mark Law Likelihood of Confusion Distinctiveness of Marks Comparison of Goods and Services

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Parties

bett1.de GmbH

Applicant

Office de l’Union européenne pour la propriété intellectuelle (EUIPO)

Respondent

XXXLutz Marken GmbH

Intervener

Procedural Posture

EU Trade Mark Annulment Appeal / Judgment on Appeal From EUIPO Board of Appeal

  1. 1 Whether the Board of Appeal erred in finding no likelihood of confusion between the marks 'Body-Star' and 'Bodyguard' for certain goods in classes 20 and 24; whether the goods in class 10 are similar to those in class 20; assessment of the relevant public and distinctiveness of the earlier mark.

Ratio Decidendi

The Board of Appeal erred in finding no likelihood of confusion for goods in classes 20 and 24, as the marks are similar to a medium degree visually and phonetically and to a low degree conceptually, and the goods are identical or similar. The differences are not sufficient to exclude confusion. For class 10 goods, the higher attention of the relevant public and the weak similarity of goods and marks preclude confusion.

Court Disposition

Appeal partially upheld; Board of Appeal decision annulled in part.

Orders

  • The decision of the EUIPO Board of Appeal of 14 July 2021 (R 1712/2020-2) is annulled as regards goods in class 20 ('matelas; surmatelas; lits; cadres de lit; sommiers à lattes pour lits; matériel de couchage (à l’exclusion du linge); coussins; oreillers; oreillers de confort cervical; lits d’eau; matelas...
  • The appeal is dismissed as to the remainder.