Koton Magazacilik Tekstil Sanayi ve Ticaret v EUIPO (EU trade mark - Opinion) [2019] EUECJ C-104/18P_O (04 April 2019)

Koton Magazacilik Tekstil Sanayi ve Ticaret v EUIPO (EU trade mark - Opinion) [2019] EUECJ C-104/18P_O (04 April 2019)

The General Court erred in law by requiring identity or similarity of goods/services for a finding of bad faith and by failing to consider all relevant factors, including the applicant's knowledge of earlier marks and the original overlap of the application with protected goods/services. The application for...

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Citation
[2019] EUECJ C-104/18P_O
Parties
Appellant: Koton Mağazacilik Tekstil Sanayi ve Ticaret AŞ; Respondent: European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO); Other Party: Joaquín Nadal Esteban
Jurisdiction
European Union
Procedural Posture
Appeal / Opinion of Advocate General Before Court of Justice of the European Union
Outcome
Judgment of the General Court set aside; decision of the Board of Appeal annulled; costs awarded against Mr Nadal Esteban and EUIPO.
Legal Topics
EU Trade Mark, Bad Faith, Invalidity Proceedings, Figurative Mark, Scope of Protection
Intellectual Property Law European Union Law EU Trade Mark Bad Faith Invalidity Proceedings Figurative Mark Scope of Protection

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Parties

Koton Mağazacilik Tekstil Sanayi ve Ticaret AŞ

Appellant

European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO)

Respondent

Joaquín Nadal Esteban

Other Party

Procedural Posture

Appeal / Opinion of Advocate General Before Court of Justice of the European Union

  1. 1 What constitutes bad faith in the context of EU trade mark applications?
  2. 2 Is it necessary for bad faith that the contested mark covers identical or similar goods/services as an earlier mark?
  3. 3 Can an application be partly in bad faith and partly in good faith?

Ratio Decidendi

The General Court erred in law by requiring identity or similarity of goods/services for a finding of bad faith and by failing to consider all relevant factors, including the applicant's knowledge of earlier marks and the original overlap of the application with protected goods/services. The application for registration was considered to have been filed in bad faith as the applicant could not provide a legitimate economic logic to allay doubts regarding good faith.

Court Disposition

Judgment of the General Court set aside; decision of the Board of Appeal annulled; costs awarded against Mr Nadal Esteban and EUIPO.

Orders

  • Set aside the judgment of the General Court of 30 November 2017 (T-687/16, EU:T:2017:853).
  • Annul the decision of the Second Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 14 June 2016 (Case R 1779/2015-2).