Invalidity · first instance · 2022-06-21
000117067
Contested design: 008147391-0003
Outcome
The invalidity application is rejected and the applicant must pay the holder's costs fixed at EUR 400.
Show verbatim operative text
1. The application for a declaration of invalidity of registered Community design No 0081473910003 is rejected. 2. The applicant bears the holder’s costs, fixed at EUR 400.
CostsApplicant ordered to pay costs of €400
Parties
Applicant · invalidity challenger
Imperial Tobacco Limitedvia PDF extraction
United Kingdom (GB)
121 Winterstoke Road, Bristol BS3 2LL, United Kingdom
Represented by
Holder · RCD owner
Andrzej Biały
Poland (PL)
Al. Wolności 20/42, 42300 Myszków, Poland
Represented by
Daniel Kurdubski
Prior art cited (1)
Rizla flavour card design launched and marketed before the contested design
Applicant's claimed UK and EU market launch supported by Annexes 1-5 and website materials
Legal grounds invoked
Argument summary
- ›The applicant sought invalidity for lack of novelty and individual character over earlier Rizla flavour card designs allegedly launched before August 2020.
- ›The holder filed no observations and left the invalidity application undefended.
- ›The Division found the annexes did not adequately reproduce the alleged prior flavour card design or prove its public disclosure with sufficient certainty.
- ›Because the prior design was not correctly represented or proven disclosed, the invalidity application was rejected and costs were awarded against the applicant.
Deciding panel
- MemberLudmila ČELIŠOVÁ
- MemberElisabetta FERRARO
- MemberMichele M. BENEDETTI-ALOISI
Decision files
| Language | Type | Source link |
|---|---|---|
| deDeutsch (de) | machine translated | Download original from EUIPO ↗ |
| esespañol (es) | machine translated | Download original from EUIPO ↗ |
| frfrançais (fr) | machine translated | Download original from EUIPO ↗ |
| ititaliano (it) | machine translated | Download original from EUIPO ↗ |
| enEnglish | original | Download original from EUIPO ↗ |
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