Turkse overmacht
Arrest GvEA, 22 juni 2005, zaak T-34/04. Plus / OHIM - Bälz en Hiller (Turkish Power). Plus Warenhandelsgesellschaft mbH gebruikt het woordmerk POWER voor tabak e.d. Zij stelde oppostitie in tegen het woord- en beeldmerk Turkish Power dat eveneens gebruikt wordt voor de waren in klasse 34 (tobacco, smokers' articles and matches). Tussen de woorden "Turkish" en "Power" is een leeuwenkop afgebeeld.
Het GvEA bevestigt het oordeel van het Second Board of Appeal dat als volgt luidde:
"the verbal element ‘Turkish’ of the sign sought and its figurative element, which consists of a lion’s head, could not be overlooked and that, even if the lion’s head alluded to the idea of strength, it was not a straightforward transposition of that idea. Moreover, the Second Board of Appeal stated that the element ‘Turkish’ could not be neglected either as it was important at a visual and aural level and that the overall meaning of the terms ‘Turkish power’ differed from that of the term ‘power’."
In de beoordeling of er sprake van verwarringsgevaar tussen beide merken aanwezig is, oordeelt het GvEA negatief:
The earlier national mark is a word mark, whilst the competing sign is covered by an application for registration as a figurative Community mark made up of the two terms ‘Turkish’ and ‘power’ separated by a roaring lion’s head with an elaborate mane. (rov 49); On account of its central position, this figurative element gives the sign sought a visual structure which is completely different from that of the earlier national mark. (rov 53) Nevertheless, the figurative element showing the lion’s head is, by virtue of its abovementioned characteristics, of such a kind as to neutralise, to a great extent, the relative conceptual similarity of the two conflicting signs arising from their common component ‘power’. (rov 62)
Het verweer dat het element "Power " het dominante bestanddeel in "Turkish Power" zou vormen wordt eveneens verworpen door het GveA:
It is not therefore evident that the element ‘power’ constitutes the dominant component of the sign sought, as maintained by the applicant, nor that it determines the overall impression given by the latter to the point that there is a clear likelihood of confusion on the part of the relevant German public. (rov 71)
