Unhealthy religion has been a sizzling matter in UK and EU commerce mark issues in recent times – not least within the sports activities world the place latest outstanding instances have involved the soccer superstars, and one time teamsmates, Lionel Messi and Neymar. While in these instances unhealthy religion was discovered to be a sound floor for refusal of the commerce marks in query, which the gamers didn’t consent to, a latest choice of the Appointed Individual in the UK has supplied an essential clarification on how unhealthy religion objections have to be raised within the UK.
Background
World Trademark Providers Ltd (“GTS”) filed purposes for the beneath commerce marks in relation to ‘clothes, footwear and headgear’ in school 25 in early 2021 (UK Commerce Mark Purposes 3587268 and 3595047 respectively):
The primary mark clearly shows the title of well-known Arsenal striker Thierry Henry and the second software contains the title of Brazilian ahead Ronaldinho. Each marks additionally prominently characteristic membership crests that are extremely just like these of the golf equipment every participant is known for taking part in for (Arsenal and Barcelona respectively), with minor deviations when it comes to design. The UKIPO had initially refused each purposes beneath part 3(6) of Commerce Marks Act 1994. The UKIPO had permitted earlier registrations by GTS together with for retired Celtic footballer Willie Wallace and outlined this was as a result of he was not as well-known Ronaldinho and Henry and there have been different soccer gamers with the surname Wallace.
At an preliminary ex parte listening to earlier than the UKIPO, the Listening to Officer upheld the choice in relation to the Henry and Ronaldinho purposes and decided the related shopper would acknowledge the respective marks as referring to the well-known footballers – Thierry Henry and Ronaldinho. As well as, in relation to the Ronaldinho mark the UKIPO Listening to Officer famous that the silhouette included within the mark included Ronaldinho’s attribute lengthy flowing hair on the again. With out proof of consent from the gamers the Listening to Officer discovered that GTS had acted in unhealthy religion in making the applying and had tried to free trip on the celebrity of the retired gamers. Within the choice, the Listening to Officer outlined that the UKIPO has an obligation to lift and preserve unhealthy religion submitting objections to guard each the common shopper who could be misled and the “well-known” particular person whose title is a part of the mark.
Additional Enchantment
GTS filed an additional attraction to the Appointed Individual, Mr Geoffrey Hobbs QC, in search of to problem the discovering of unhealthy religion on the grounds the discovering by the Listening to Officer was legally and procedurally flawed. Mr Hobbs discovered it was procedurally unacceptable for the UKIPO to lift grounds of unhealthy religion of its personal volition and accordingly upheld GTS’ attraction. It was discovered that by elevating unhealthy religion itself, the UKIPO had successfully made a discovering of battle with unregistered rights which had not been asserted by any third occasion. Mr Hobbs recognized a few of the following causes to help his discovering:
• It’s not for the Registrar (ie UKIPO) to make discovering of unhealthy religion itself however for the accuser to offer clear particulars as to how the conduct of the applicant quantities to unhealthy religion.
• The requirement for consent to be obtained presumes the existence of a proper to object, this method can be Opposite to the UKIPO’s coverage follow of now not requiring letters of consent.
• The UKIPO’s interpretation and in flip reliance on the NEYMAR case was incorrect, the EU Basic Courtroom in that case didn’t base its choice on a presumption of unhealthy religion however relatively outlined that it’s for the applicant of a declaration of invalidity to show the that substantiate a discovering of unhealthy religion.
• The Listening to Officer’s choices weren’t based mostly on any proof that proved the existence of earlier rights and subsequently a battle with earlier rights. Furthermore, the battle with different commerce mark case regulation and the concept that solely a star or their successors might ever market their very own character.
• While the UKIPO can discover a commerce mark invalid on the grounds of unhealthy religion it isn’t allowed to find out whether or not a nasty religion objection they themselves have raised is well-founded.
Conclusion
Mr Hobbs’ choice confirms that it isn’t as much as the UKIPO to lift an objection on the grounds of unhealthy religion and to make this discovering with none proof. As a substitute, it’s as much as a 3rd occasion who opposes the registration of the mark to lift the objection. The findings within the MESSI and NEYMAR commerce mark instances subsequently stay legitimate and a discovering of unhealthy religion stays a helpful objection for rights holders nevertheless it’s clear it’s as much as the rights holders themselves to lift the opposition on these grounds relatively than the commerce mark examiner.
Accordingly, this choice serves as a well timed reminder that rights holders ought to have monitoring companies in place in order that doubtlessly problematic commerce mark purposes that are revealed for opposition are recognized to make sure that alternatives to oppose will not be missed.
The purposes for the Ronaldinho and Henry marks have now been referred again to the UKIPO and may shortly be revealed for opposition, assuming no additional objections are raised by the UKIPO. It’s at present not clear if the soccer golf equipment or the retired soccer gamers themselves will oppose the purposes on the grounds of prior rights and/or unhealthy religion. Nevertheless, it is going to be fascinating to observe the purposes as they proceed.
By Simon Casinader and Niall Lavery