Judgment of the General Court of 19 December 2019 — Japan Tobacco v EUIPO — I.J. Tobacco Industry (I.J. TOBACCO INDUSTRY)

(Case T-743/18) (1)

(EU trade mark - Opposition proceedings - Application for the EU figurative mark I.J. TOBACCO INDUSTRY - Earlier EU figurative mark JTi - Relative ground for refusal - No likelihood of confusion - Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001)

(2020/C 61/39)

Language of the case: English

Parties

Applicant: Japan Tobacco, Inc. (Tokyo, Japan) (represented by: J. Gracia Albero and R. Ahijón Lana, lawyers)

Defendant: European Union Intellectual Property Office (represented by: E. Śliwińska, J. Ivanauskas and H. O’Neill, acting as Agents)

Other party to the proceedings before the Board of Appeal of EUIPO, intervener before the General Court: I.J. Tobacco Industry FZE (Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates) (represented by: A.-E. Malami, lawyer)

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the Fourth Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 15 October 2018 (Case R 979/2018-4), relating to opposition proceedings between Japan Tobacco and I.J. Tobacco Industry.

Operative part of the judgment

The Court:

1.	Dismisses the action;

2.	Orders Japan Tobacco, Inc., to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and by I.J. Tobacco Industry FZE.

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(1)  OJ C 65, 18.2.2019.