OHIM Cancellation Division, no. 8303 C, 30 mei 2014, Swiss Sense v Recticel.
Merkenrecht. Swiss Sense roept op grond van artikel 51(1)(a) GMeV het verval van het Gemeenschapswoordmerk “SENSUS” van Recticel in, wegens het ontbreken van normaal gebruik. Op grond van de door Recticel overgelegde facturen en catalogi oordeelt het OHIM dat Recticel wel normaal gebruik van haar merk heeft gemaakt in o.a. Nederland, België, Luxemburg, Zweden en Frankrijk voor een deel van de waren waarvoor het is ingeschreven, onder meer matrassen, matrasvullingen en hoofdkussens (klassen 17 en 20). De relevante stukken leveren echter geen normaal gebruik op voor meubilair (klassen 10, 17 en 20), zodat het merk als vervallen dient te worden aangemerkt voor deze waren.
Enkele overwegingen:
“The Cancellation Division also notices that the contested CTM is used together with other trade marks, such as “UBICA” or “BEKA”. However, there is no legal precept in the Community trade mark system which obliges the proprietor to provide evidence of the earlier mark alone when genuine use is required. Two or more trade marks may be used together in an autonomous way, with or without the company name, without altering the distinctive character of the earlier registered trade mark. The Court has confirmed that the condition of genuine use of a registered trade mark may be satisfied both where it has been used as part of another composite mark or when it is used in conjunction with another mark, even if the combination of marks is itself registered as a trade mark (judgment of 18/04/2013, C-12/12, ‘SM JEANS/LEVI’S’, para 36).
Therefore, considering that the contested CTM is shown in independent role in the catalogues and the invoices refer to the goods sold in connection with the contested CTM, and that the contested CTM "Sensus” is often presented with "registered" symbol, ®, it is considered that the presence of other marks of the proprietor, such as "UBICA” or "BEKA”, does not prevent the evidence from supporting the genuine use of the contested CTM "Sensus".
[…] When reviewing the evidence in its entirety, especially taking into account the invoices during the relevant time period and the fact that they indicate the economic extent of use relating to the genuine use of the earlier trade mark in part of the relevant market, it is considered that the evidence shows use of the earlier trade mark to a sufficient extent. This finding is supported by the evidence...
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Gemeenschapsmerk SENSUS normaal gebruikt voor o.a. matrassen, matrasvullingen en hoofdkussens
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