This document is an excerpt from the EUR-Lex website
Document 62021TJ0703
Judgment of the General Court (Third Chamber) of 25 January 2023.
Zielonogórski Klub Żużlowy Sportowa S.A. v European Union Intellectual Property Office.
EU trade mark – Invalidity proceedings – EU word mark FALUBAZ – Absolute ground for invalidity – Bad faith – Article 52(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 59(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001).
Case T-703/21.
Judgment of the General Court (Third Chamber) of 25 January 2023.
Zielonogórski Klub Żużlowy Sportowa S.A. v European Union Intellectual Property Office.
EU trade mark – Invalidity proceedings – EU word mark FALUBAZ – Absolute ground for invalidity – Bad faith – Article 52(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 59(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001).
Case T-703/21.
Court reports – general – 'Information on unpublished decisions' section
ECLI identifier: ECLI:EU:T:2023:19
Judgment of the General Court (Third Chamber) of 25 January 2023 –
Zielonogórski Klub Żużlowy Sportowa v EUIPO – Falubaz Polska (FALUBAZ)
(Case T‑703/21) ( 1 )
(EU trade mark – Invalidity proceedings – EU word mark FALUBAZ – Absolute ground for invalidity – Bad faith – Article 52(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 59(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001))
1. |
EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Applicant in bad faith when filing the trade mark application – Criteria for assessment – Taking into account all relevant factors at the time of filing of the application for registration – Applicant’s knowledge that a third party is using an identical or similar sign – Intention of the applicant – Degree of legal protection of the signs at issue – Origin and use of the contested sign – Commercial logic underlying the registration of the contested sign as an EU trade mark – Chronology of events leading up to the filing of the trade mark application (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 52(1)(b)) (see paragraphs 49, 50, 60-65, 82, 93) |
2. |
EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Applicant in bad faith when filing the trade mark application – Concept of bad faith – Scope (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 52(1)(b)) (see paragraphs 57-59) |
3. |
EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Applicant in bad faith when filing the trade mark application – Burden of proof (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 52(1)(b)) (see paragraphs 66, 67) |
4. |
EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Applicant in bad faith when filing the trade mark application – Word mark FALUBAZ (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 52(1)(b)) (see paragraphs 77, 84, 86-88, 99) |
Operative part
The Court:
1. |
Dismisses the action; |
2. |
Orders Zielonogórski Klub Żużlowy Sportowa S.A. to pay the costs. |
( 1 ) OJ C 11, 10.1.2022.