Invalidity · first instance · 2026-05-29
000122874
Contested design: 008562102-0001
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 EU design No 008562102-0001 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
Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaftvia PDF extraction
Germany (DE)
Wolfsburg, Germany
Represented by
Holder · RCD owner
Great Wall Motor Company Limited
China (CN)
Baoding, Hebei Province, China
Represented by
Prior art cited (2)
VW Käfer Última Edición car design (prior design 1)
www.volkswagen.de · Volkswagen Germany website · disclosed 2003-12-31
Rometsch Taxi car image/design (prior design 2)
www.flickr.com · Flickr website · disclosed 2010-11-23
Legal grounds invoked
Argument summary
- ›Applicant sought invalidity for lack of individual character, arguing the contested car design closely reproduced the VW Käfer and the Rometsch Taxi.
- ›Holder disputed both the extent of design freedom and the alleged similarities, and challenged whether the applicant had sufficiently identified and disclosed the earlier designs.
- ›The Division accepted both internet disclosures as proven, found some freedom constrained by vehicle function and regulation, and compared each cited design individually with the contested design.
- ›It held that differences in doors, windows, proportions, fenders, lighting and other features produced a different overall impression, so the invalidity application was rejected.
Deciding panel
- MemberRebecca SANTANA DAVIES
- MemberChiara BORACE
- MemberRasa BARAKAUSKIENĖ
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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