Invalidity · first instance · 2024-11-21
000123955
Contested design: 001626300-0001
Outcome
The invalidity application is rejected, and the applicant must bear 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 001626300-0001 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
HSM Schuhmarketing GmbHvia PDF extraction
Germany (DE)
Werksstr. 15, D-45527 Hattingen Germany
Represented by
Holder · RCD owner
Crocs, Inc.
United States (US)
500 Eldorado Boulevard, Building 5, Broomfield Colorado 80021 United States
Represented by
Prior art cited (4)
Crocs Kids's crocband Clog offer webpage
ASIN B004JKMQK4 · Amazon.com · disclosed 2004-09-14
Crocs Kids's crocband Clog offer webpage
ASIN B004JKMQK4 · Amazon.ca · disclosed 2004-09-14
Crocs Kids's crocband Clog offer webpage
ASIN B00LA1SKLE · Amazon.de · disclosed 2007-11-30
Crocs Kids's crocband Clog offer webpage
ASIN B004JKMQK4 · Amazon.co.uk · disclosed 2008-10-01
Legal grounds invoked
Argument summary
- ›The applicant sought invalidity for lack of novelty and individual character, relying on Amazon product pages D1 to D4 and a broader Annex A2 list of earlier footwear designs.
- ›The holder argued the Amazon dates were unreliable and that the applicant had not specifically identified or explained any Annex A2 design producing the same overall impression.
- ›The Division accepted D1 to D4 as sufficient internet disclosures under Article 7(1) CDR but found the compared designs were not identical because visible differences were not immaterial.
- ›The Division disregarded Annex A2 for individual-character purposes because the applicant did not separately identify and comment on specific prior designs, so the application was rejected in full.
Deciding panel
- MemberRebecca SANTANA DAVIES
- MemberChiara BORACE
- MemberEnrico D'ERRICO
Decision files
| Language | Type | Source link |
|---|---|---|
| deGerman | human translated | Download original from EUIPO ↗ |
| esSpanish | human translated | Download original from EUIPO ↗ |
| frFrench | human translated | Download original from EUIPO ↗ |
| itItalian | human translated | Download original from EUIPO ↗ |
| enEnglish | original | Download original from EUIPO ↗ |
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