1. 

EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Applicant in bad faith when lodging the trade mark application – Criteria for assessment – Taking into account of all relevant factors at the time of filing the application for registration – Applicant’s knowledge that a third party is using an identical or similar sign – Intention of the applicant

(Council Regulation No 40/94, Arts 8(2) and (4) and 51(1)(b))

(see paras 16, 17, 77)

2. 

EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Applicant in bad faith when lodging the trade mark application – Concept of bad faith – Scope

(Council Regulation No 40/94, Art. 51(1)(b))

(see paras 18, 19)

3. 

EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Applicant in bad faith when lodging the trade mark application – Criteria for assessment – Need to prove the existence of the likelihood of confusion between the marks at issue – Precluded

(Council Regulation No 40/94, Arts 8(1)(a) and (b), (2) and (5), 51(1)(b) and 52(1)(a))

(see paras 20-22)

4. 

EU trade mark – Procedural provisions – Statement of reasons for decisions – First sentence of Article 94(1) of Regulation 2017/1001 – Scope identical to that of Article 296 TFEU

(Art. 296 TFEU; European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 94(1), first sentence)

(see paras 24, 89, 90)

5. 

Action for annulment – Pleas in law – Infringement of essential procedural requirements – Lack of or inadequate statement of reasons – To be considered of the Court’s own motion

(Arts 263 and 296 TFEU)

(see para. 25)

1. 

Annuls the decision of the First Board of Appeal of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) of 6 April 2020 (Case R 1178/2019-1);

2. 

Orders EUIPO and VF International Sagl to pay the costs.