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Document 62016TA0359

Case T-359/16: Judgment of the General Court of 7 July 2017 — Axel Springer v EUIPO — Stiftung Warentest (TestBild) (EU trade mark — Opposition proceedings — Application for an EU word mark TestBild — Earlier national figurative marks test — Relative ground for refusal — Likelihood of confusion — Similarity of the goods and services — Similarity of the signs — Inherent distinctive character — Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009)

OJ C 277, 21.8.2017, p. 41–41 (BG, ES, CS, DA, DE, ET, EL, EN, FR, HR, IT, LV, LT, HU, MT, NL, PL, PT, RO, SK, SL, FI, SV)

21.8.2017   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 277/41


Judgment of the General Court of 7 July 2017 — Axel Springer v EUIPO — Stiftung Warentest (TestBild)

(Case T-359/16) (1)

((EU trade mark - Opposition proceedings - Application for an EU word mark TestBild - Earlier national figurative marks test - Relative ground for refusal - Likelihood of confusion - Similarity of the goods and services - Similarity of the signs - Inherent distinctive character - Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009))

(2017/C 277/60)

Language of the case: German

Parties

Applicant: Axel Springer SE (Berlin, Germany) (represented by: K. Hamacher and G. Müllejans, lawyers)

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

Other party to the proceedings before the Board of Appeal of EUIPO, intervener before the General Court: Stiftung Warentest (Berlin) (represented: initially by R. Mann, J. Smid, T. Brach, H. Nieland and A.-K. Kornrumpf and subsequently by J. Smid, lawyers)

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the Fourth Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 4 May 2016 (Case R 555/2015-4), relating to opposition proceedings between Stiftung Warentest and Axel Springer.

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 4 May 2016 (Case R 555/2015-4), in so far as it found that there was a likelihood of confusion in respect of ‘printed matter, in particular test periodicals, consumer information, prospectuses, catalogues, books, newspapers and periodicals; instructional and teaching material (except apparatus)’, in Class 16 of the Nice Agreement of 15 June 1957 concerning the International Classification of Goods and Services for the purposes of the Registration of Marks, as revised and amended;

2.

Dismisses the action as to the remainder;

3.

Orders each party to bear its own costs.


(1)  OJ C 296, 16.8.2016.


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