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Document 62011TN0314

    Case T-314/11: Action brought on 17 June 2011 — Fortress Participations v OHIM — Fortress Investment Group and Fortress Investment Group (UK) (FORTRESS)

    SL C 238, 13.8.2011, p. 32–33 (BG, ES, CS, DA, DE, ET, EL, EN, FR, IT, LV, LT, HU, MT, NL, PL, PT, RO, SK, SL, FI, SV)

    13.8.2011   

    EN

    Official Journal of the European Union

    C 238/32

    Action brought on 17 June 2011 — Fortress Participations v OHIM — Fortress Investment Group and Fortress Investment Group (UK) (FORTRESS)

    (Case T-314/11)

    2011/C 238/55

    Language in which the application was lodged: English

    Parties

    Applicant: Fortress Participations BV (Rotterdam, Netherlands) (represented by: M.L.J. van de Braak, lawyer, B. Ladas, Solicitor, and S. Malynicz, Barrister)

    Defendant: Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (Trade Marks and Designs)

    Other parties to the proceedings before the Board of Appeal: Fortress Investment Group LLC (New York, USA) and Fortress Investment Group (UK) Ltd (London, United Kingdom)

    Form of order sought

    —

    Annul the decision of the Second Board of Appeal of the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (Trade Marks and Designs) of 1 April 2011 in case R 354/2009-2; and

    —

    Order the defendant and the other parties to the proceedings to pay their own costs of the proceedings before the Office and the General Court and pay those of the applicant.

    Pleas in law and main arguments

    Registered Community trade mark in respect of which a declaration of invalidity has been sought: The figurative mark ‘FORTRESS’, claiming the colours red, black and white, for services in classes 35, 36 and 42 — Community trade mark registration No 3398451

    Proprietor of the Community trade mark: The applicant

    Applicant for the declaration of invalidity of the Community trade mark: The other parties to the proceedings before the Board of Appeal

    Grounds for the application for a declaration of invalidity: The parties requesting the declaration of invalidity grounded their request on relative grounds for invalidity pursuant to Articles 53(1)(c) in conjunction with Article 8(4) of Council Regulation (EC) No 207/2009. It was also based on United Kingdom non registered trade marks ‘FORTRESS’, ‘FORTRESS INVESTMENTS’, and ‘FORTRESS INVESTMENT GROUP’, used in the course of trade.

    Decision of the Cancellation Division: Rejected the request for a declaration of invalidity

    Decision of the Board of Appeal: Annulled the contested decision

    Pleas in law: Infringement of Article 8(4) of Council Regulation (EC) No 207/2009, as the Board of Appeal failed properly to analyse the question of goodwill under the UK law of passing off and failed properly to assess the risk of misrepresentation and consequent damage.

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