Judgment of the General Court (Fifth Chamber) of 12 May 2021.Tornado Boats International ApS v European Union Intellectual Property Office.EU trade mark – Invalidity proceedings – Figurative EU mark TORNADO – Absolute ground for invalidity – Bad faith – Article 52(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 59(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001).Case T-167/20.

Judgment // 12/05/2021 // 2 min read
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Judgment of the General Court (Fifth Chamber) of 12 May 2021 –Tornado Boats International v EUIPO – Haygreen (TORNADO)

(Case T‑167/20)

(EU trade mark – Invalidity proceedings – Figurative EU mark TORNADO – Absolute ground for invalidity – Bad faith – Article 52(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 59(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001))

  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 – Degree of legal protection of the signs at issue – Commercial logic underlying the registration of the contested sign as an EU trade mark – Chronology of events characterising the filing of the trade mark application

(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 52(1)(b))

(see paras 43, 44, 48, 50, 51)

  1. 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 207/2009, Art. 52(1)(b))

(see paras 45-47)

  1. EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Applicant in bad faith when lodging the trade mark application – Figurative mark TORNADO

(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 52(1)(b))

(see paras 58, 59, 64-71, 73, 74)

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the First Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 17 January 2020 (Case R 1169/2018-1), relating to proceedings for a declaration of invalidity between Mr Haygreen and Tornado Boats International.

Operative part

The Court:

  1. Dismisses the action;

  2. Orders Tornado Boats International ApS to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO);

  3. Orders Mr David Haygreen to bear his own costs.

Trade marks