Normaal gebruik bij gebruik in slechts één lidstaat

EUIPO 12 maart 2020, IEF 19315, IEFbe 3099; 28 762 C (Worldwide Machinery tegen Scaip) Merkenrecht. De rechten van Scaip, houder van Uniemerk 11 385 33, worden gedeeltelijk ingetrokken, omdat in een periode van vijf jaar met betrekking tot sommige betwiste goederen geen sprake was van normaal gebruik en er geen redenen waren voor niet-gebruik. Normaal gebruik vereist daadwerkelijk gebruik op de markt van de geregistreerde waren en diensten. Bij deze beoordeling wordt rekening gehouden met alle relevante factoren, tussen deze factoren is een zekere afhankelijkheid. Met betrekking tot sommige betwiste goederen is wel aangetoond dat het Uniemerk in de relevante periode op het relevante grondgebied in voldoende mate is gebruikt. Opvallend is dat normaal gebruik in deze zaak wordt aangenomen bij gebruik van het Uniemerk in slechts één lidstaat. Bij deze beoordeling wordt ook een door partijen overeengekomen geografische beperking meegenomen.

Given that use took place in different Italian cities and considering the geographical restriction agreed by the parties limited to the Italian territory in relation to highly specialised goods, the Cancellation Division considers that use in Italy is considered geographically sufficient to constitute genuine use in the European Union.

In order to examine, in a given case, whether use of the earlier mark is genuine, an overall assessment must be made taking account of all the relevant factors in the particular case. That assessment implies a certain interdependence between the factors taken into account. Thus, a low volume of goods marketed under that trade mark may be compensated for by high intensity of use or a certain constancy regarding the time of use of that trade mark or vice versa (08/07/2004, T-334/01, Hipoviton, EU:T:2004:223, § 36).

It was demonstrated that the EUTM had been used in relation to some of the contested goods during the relevant period in the relevant territory to an extent sufficient to indicate that the use was genuine. The EUTM was used as a trade mark, as registered. Considering all the above, the Cancellation Division concludes that the evidence, as a whole, is sufficient to demonstrate that the contested mark was genuinely used during the relevant period in the relevant territory for the following goods in Class 12: self- propelled machines for creating oil pipelines, gas and water conduits; land vehicles, namely self-propelled equipment for placing pipes; kits for converting crawler land vehicles to land vehicles comprising self-propelled equipment for placing pipes; sifting buckets; suction cups for lifters; hydraulic chucks; self-propelled pipe bending machines.