Judgment of the General Court (Seventh Chamber) of 14 June 2017 —
Aydin v EUIPO — Kaporal Groupe (ROYAL & CAPORAL)

(Case T‑95/16)

(EU trade mark — Opposition proceedings — Application for EU word mark ROYAL & CAPORAL — Earlier EU word mark KAPORAL — Relative ground for refusal — Likelihood of confusion — Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009)

1. 

EU trade mark — Appeals procedure — Action before the EU judicature — Jurisdiction of the General Court — Declaratory judgments — Precluded

(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 65(3))

(see para. 17)

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 — Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark — Criteria for assessment

(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))

(see paras 22, 24, 62, 63)

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 — Similarity of the marks concerned — Criteria for assessment

(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))

(see paras 23, 70, 71)

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 — Degree of attention of the relevant public

(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))

(see paras 25, 28, 29)

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 — Word marks ROYAL & CAPORAL and KAPORAL

(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b))

(see paras 31, 32, 66, 67, 74, 76)

6. 

EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark — Assessment of the registrability of a sign — EU rules only taken into account — Earlier registration of the mark in certain Member States or third countries — Decisions not binding EU bodies

(Council Regulation No 207/2009)

(see para. 47)

Re:

ACTION brought against the decision of the Second Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 11 December 2015 (Case R 867/2015-2) concerning opposition proceedings between Kaporal Groupe and Mr Aydin.

Operative part

The Court:

1.

Dismisses the action;

2.

Orders Mr Savas Aydin to pay the costs.