Judgment of the General Court of 3 September 2025 – OMV v EUIPO – Combe International (OMV!)

(Case T-302/24)  (1)

(EU trade mark - Invalidity proceedings - EU word mark OMV! - Earlier EU figurative marks OMV - Relative ground for refusal - Detriment to repute - Link between the marks at issue - Article 8(5) and Article 60(1)(a) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001)

(C/2025/5454)

Language of the case: English

Parties

Applicant: OMV AG (Vienna, Austria) (represented by: C. Schumacher and B. Kapeller-Hirsch, lawyers)

Defendant: European Union Intellectual Property Office (represented by: R. Raponi, acting as Agent)

Other party to the proceedings before the Board of Appeal of EUIPO: Combe International LLC (White Plains, New York, United States)

Re:

By its action under Article 263 TFEU, the applicant seeks the annulment of the decision of the Fourth Board of Appeal of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) of 5 April 2024 (Case R 803/2023-4).

Operative part of the judgment

The Court:

1.	Annuls the decision of the Fourth Board of Appeal of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) of 5 April 2024 (Case R 803/2023-4);

2.	Orders EUIPO to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by OMV AG.

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(1)   OJ C, C/2024/4604, 29.7.2024.