19.7.2021   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 289/3


Judgment of the Court (Fourth Chamber) of 3 June 2021 — The Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd v Pirelli Tyre SpA (C-818/18 P), European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) v Pirelli Tyre SpA (C-6/19 P)

(Joined Cases C-818/18 P and C-6/19 P) (1)

(Appeal - EU trade mark - Absolute grounds for refusal or invalidity of registration - Sign consisting exclusively of the shape of goods which is necessary to obtain a technical result - Regulation (EC) No 40/94 - Article 7(1)(e)(ii) - Sign consisting of a shape which does not represent a significant part of the goods)

(2021/C 289/04)

Language of the case: English

Parties

(Case C-818/18 P)

Appellant: The Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd (represented by: D. Martucci and F. Boscariol de Roberto, avvocati)

Other parties to the proceedings: Pirelli Tyre SpA (represented by: T.M. Müller and F. Togo, Rechtsanwälte), European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) (represented by: J. Ivanauskas, acting as Agent)

Intervener in support of the defendant: European Association of Trade Mark Owners (Marques) (represented by: M. Viefhues, Rechtsanwalt)

(Case C-6/19 P)

Appellant: European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) (represented by: J. Ivanauskas, acting as Agent)

Other parties to the proceedings: Pirelli Tyre SpA (represented by: T.M. Müller and F. Togo, Rechtsanwälte), The Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd (represented by: D. Martucci and F. Boscariol de Roberto, avvocati)

Intervener in support of the defendant: European Association of Trade Mark Owners (Marques) (represented by: M. Viefhues, Rechtsanwalt)

Operative part of the judgment

The Court:

1.

Dismisses the appeals in Cases C-818/18 P and C-6/19 P;

2.

Orders The Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) to bear their own costs in relation to the appeal proceedings in Cases C-818/18 P and C-6/19 P and to pay, in equal parts, the costs incurred by Pirelli Tyre SpA in relation to those proceedings;

3.

Orders the European Association of Trade Mark Owners (Marques) to bear its own costs.


(1)  OJ C 148, 29.4.2019.