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PARALLEL TEXTS
Il Tribunale rigetta i ricorsi che la
Budějovický
Budvar aveva proposto per opporsi alla registrazione del marchio comunitario «BUD» per la birra, richiesta dalla Anheuser-Busch
Inglese tratto da:
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_CJE-13-6_en.htm
Italiano tratto da:
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_CJE-13-6_it.htm
Data documento: 22-01-2013
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The General Court dismisses the actions brought by
Budějovický Budvar against the registration of the Community trade mark ‘BUD’ for beer applied for by Anheuser-Busch
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Il Tribunale rigetta i ricorsi che la
Budějovický Budvar aveva proposto per opporsi alla registrazione del marchio comunitario «BUD» per la birra, richiesta dalla Anheuser-Busch
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That trade mark can be registered because of the insignificant use in France and Austria of the appellation of origin ‘bud’
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Il marchio può essere registrato a motivo dell’utilizzo non significativo in Francia e in Austria della denominazione d’origine «bud»
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The Community Trade Mark Regulation provides that the proprietor of a sign used in the course of trade of more than mere local significance can oppose the registration of a Community trade mark.
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Il regolamento sul marchio comunitario prevede che il titolare di un segno utilizzato nel traffico commerciale e di portata non puramente locale può opporsi alla registrazione di un marchio comunitario.
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From 1996 to 2000 the American brewery Anheuser-Busch applied to the Community trade mark office (OHIM) for the registration of the word and figurative signs BUD as Community trade marks for various kinds of goods, including beer.
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Tra il 1996 e il 2000 l'impresa americana di fabbricazione di birra Anheuser-Busch ha chiesto all'Ufficio dei marchi comunitari (UAMI) la registrazione come marchio comunitario del segno figurativo e denominativo BUD per alcuni tipi di prodotti, tra cui le birre.
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The Czech brewery
Budějovický Budvar filed notices of opposition against the registration of the Community trade marks, in respect of all the goods referred to.
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L'impresa ceca di fabbricazione di birra
Budějovický Budvar ha proposto una serie di opposizioni contro la domanda di registrazione del marchio comunitario per l'insieme dei prodotti richiesti.
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In support of its oppositions, the Czech firm relied on the existence of the appellation of origin ‘bud’, as protected in France, Italy and Portugal under the Lisbon Agreement and in Austria under bilateral treaties concluded between Austria and the former Czechoslovak Socialist Republic.
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L'impresa ceca invocava l'esistenza della denominazione «bud» come tutelata, da un lato, in Francia, in Italia e in Portogallo ai sensi dell'Accordo di Lisbona e, dall'altro, in Austria ai sensi dei trattati bilaterali conclusi tra l'Austria e l’ex Repubblica socialista cecoslovacca.
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OHIM dismissed
Budějovický Budvar’s oppositions in their entirety, on the ground in particular that the evidence of the use of the appellation of origin ‘bud’ in Austria, France, Italy and Portugal produced by the Czech firm was insufficient.
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L’UAMI ha interamente respinto le opposizioni della
Budějovický Budvar, a motivo in particolare del fatto che le prove fornite dall'impresa ceca, quanto all'uso della denominazione d'origine «bud» in Austria, Francia, Italia e Portogallo, erano insufficienti.
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Budějovický Budvar brought actions before the General Court, which, in an earlier judgment, annulled OHIM’s decisions rejecting the Czech brewery’s oppositions.
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La Budějovický Budvar ha adito il Tribunale, il quale, in una prima sentenza, ha annullato le decisioni dell’UAMI che avevano rigettato le sue opposizioni .
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Anheuser-Busch appealed against the General Court’s judgment to the Court of Justice, which set it aside in part.
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Contro la sentenza del Tribunale, la Anheuser-Busch ha proposto
un’impugnazione dinanzi alla Corte di giustizia, la quale ha parzialmente
annullato la pronuncia impugnata.
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The Court of Justice held in particular that a geographical indication protected in a Member State could prevent registration of a Community trade mark only if it was actually used in a sufficiently significant manner in the course of trade in a substantial part of the territory of that State.
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La Corte ha statuito, in particolare, che un'indicazione geografica protetta in uno Stato membro poteva impedire la registrazione di un marchio comunitario soltanto qualora essa fosse effettivamente utilizzata in modo sufficientemente significativo nel traffico commerciale su una parte rilevante del territorio tale Stato.
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As the state of the proceedings did not permit judgment to be given by the Court of Justice, it referred the cases back to the General Court for judgment.
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Poiché lo stato della controversia non consentiva alla Corte di definirla, essa ha rinviato la controversia al Tribunale.
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The General Court thus had to examine whether, in the light of the judgment on appeal delivered by the Court of Justice, the use by
Budějovický
Budvar of the appellation of origin ‘bud’ enabled it to oppose the registration applied for by Anheuser-Busch.
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Quest'ultimo è stato dunque chiamato a verificare se, alla luce della sentenza emessa dalla Corte a seguito dell'impugnazione, l'utilizzazione da parte della
Budějovický Budvar della denominazione d'origine «bud» consentisse di opporsi alla registrazione richiesta dalla Anheuser-Busch.
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By its judgment of today, the General Court finds, first, that in Case T-309/06 RENV
Budějovický Budvar did not produce before OHIM any item of evidence capable of showing the use – before the date of filing of Anheuser-Busch’s application for a Community trade mark, which was 1 July 1996 – of an earlier sign in the course of trade of more than mere local significance.
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Con la sua sentenza odierna, il Tribunale constata anzitutto che, nella causa T-309/06 RENV, la
Budějovický Budvar non ha fornito dinanzi all’UAMI alcun elemento di prova idoneo a dimostrare l'utilizzo nel traffico commerciale – prima della data di deposito della domanda di marchio comunitario da parte della Anheuser-Busch, ossia il 1º aprile 1996 – di un segno anteriore di portata non puramente locale.
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The Court therefore dismisses the application in this case.
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Per tale ragione, il Tribunale respinge il ricorso in tale causa.
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Next, in the other cases, the General Court observes that the Czech brewery produced before OHIM invoices to show actual use of the appellation ‘bud’ in France.
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Nelle altre cause, il Tribunale rileva che l'impresa ceca ha presentato dinanzi all’UAMI alcune fatture per dimostrare l'utilizzazione effettiva della denominazione «bud» in Francia.
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The Court finds that some of those invoices must be discarded from the analysis, as they are subsequent to the date of filing of the application for registration of the Community trade mark concerned.
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A questo proposito, il Tribunale constata che alcune di queste fatture devono essere escluse dall'esame in quanto posteriori alla data di deposito della domanda di registrazione del marchio comunitario.
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The Court also finds that the other invoices produced relate to a very limited volume of products and that the relevant deliveries were limited to three towns at most in French territory, Thiais, Lille and Strasbourg.
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Il Tribunale giudica poi che le altre fatture presentate riguardano un volume assai esiguo di prodotti e che le forniture ad esse relative erano limitate tutt'al più a tre città nel territorio francese, vale a dire Thiais, Lille e Strasburgo.
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In those circumstances, the Court holds that the condition of use in the course of trade of a sign of more than mere local significance is not satisfied as regards French territory.
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In tali circostanze, il Tribunale decide che il presupposto relativo all'utilizzazione nel traffico commerciale di un segno di portata non puramente locale non risulta soddisfatto relativamente al territorio francese.
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Similarly, the Court observes that the documents produced by
Budějovický Budvar to show actual use of the appellation ‘bud’ in Austria attest to sales that are very low in terms both of volume and turnover.
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Allo stesso modo, il Tribunale rileva che i documenti forniti dalla
Budějovický
Budvar per dimostrare l'utilizzazione effettiva della denominazione «bud» in Austria comprovano vendite assai esigue, in termini sia di volume che di fatturato.
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Furthermore, while the Czech brewery sold beer under that name in several towns in Austria, sales outside Vienna represent negligible volumes.
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Per giunta, sebbene la fabbrica ceca abbia venduto della birra con tale denominazione in varie città dell'Austria, le vendite realizzate al di fuori di Vienna rappresentano volumi trascurabili.
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The Court concludes that the condition of use in the course of trade of a sign of more than mere local significance is not satisfied as regards Austrian territory either.
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Su tale base il Tribunale conclude che il presupposto relativo all'utilizzazione nel traffico commerciale di un segno di portata non puramente locale non risulta soddisfatto neppure relativamente al territorio austriaco.
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Under those circumstances, the Court dismisses the actions brought by
Budějovický Budvar in their entirety.
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Alla luce di tali elementi, il Tribunale rigetta i ricorsi della
Budějovický Budvar nella loro interezza. |
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LISTEN WITH READSPEAKER
The General Court dismisses the actions brought by
Budějovický
Budvar against the registration of the Community trade mark
‘BUD’ for beer applied for by Anheuser-Busch
That trade mark can be registered because of the
insignificant use in France and Austria of the appellation of origin ‘bud’
The Community Trade Mark Regulation provides that the
proprietor of a sign used in the course of trade of more than mere local
significance can oppose the registration of a Community trade mark.
From 1996 to 2000 the American brewery Anheuser-Busch applied
to the Community trade mark office (OHIM) for the registration of the word and
figurative signs BUD as Community trade marks for various kinds of goods,
including beer.
The Czech brewery
Budějovický Budvar filed notices of opposition
against the registration of the Community trade marks, in respect of all the
goods referred to.
In support of its oppositions, the Czech firm relied on the
existence of the appellation of origin ‘bud’, as protected in France, Italy and
Portugal under the Lisbon Agreement and in Austria under bilateral treaties
concluded between Austria and the former Czechoslovak Socialist Republic.
OHIM dismissed
Budějovický Budvar’s oppositions in their entirety,
on the ground in particular that the evidence of the use of the appellation of
origin ‘bud’ in Austria, France, Italy and Portugal produced by the Czech firm
was insufficient.
Budějovický
Budvar brought actions before the General Court, which, in an earlier judgment,
annulled OHIM’s decisions rejecting the Czech brewery’s oppositions.
Anheuser-Busch appealed against the General Court’s judgment
to the Court of Justice, which set it aside in part.
The Court of Justice held in particular that a geographical
indication protected in a Member State could prevent registration of a Community
trade mark only if it was actually used in a sufficiently significant manner in
the course of trade in a substantial part of the territory of that State.
As the state of the proceedings did not permit judgment to be
given by the Court of Justice, it referred the cases back to the General Court
for judgment.
The General Court thus had to examine whether, in the light of
the judgment on appeal delivered by the Court of Justice, the use by
Budějovický
Budvar of the appellation of origin ‘bud’ enabled it to oppose the registration
applied for by Anheuser-Busch.
By its judgment of today, the General Court finds, first, that
in Case T-309/06 RENV Bude(jovický Budvar did not produce before OHIM any item
of evidence capable of showing the use – before the date of filing of
Anheuser-Busch’s application for a Community trade mark, which was 1 July 1996 –
of an earlier sign in the course of trade of more than mere local significance.
The Court therefore dismisses the application in this case.
Next, in the other cases, the General Court observes that the
Czech brewery produced before OHIM invoices to show actual use of the
appellation ‘bud’ in France.
The Court finds that some of those invoices must be discarded
from the analysis, as they are subsequent to the date of filing of the
application for registration of the Community trade mark concerned.
The Court also finds that the other invoices produced relate
to a very limited volume of products and that the relevant deliveries were
limited to three towns at most in French territory, Thiais, Lille and
Strasbourg.
In those circumstances, the Court holds that the condition of
use in the course of trade of a sign of more than mere local significance is not
satisfied as regards French territory.
Similarly, the Court observes that the documents produced by
Budějovický
Budvar to show actual use of the appellation ‘bud’ in Austria
attest to sales that are very low in terms both of volume and turnover.
Furthermore, while the Czech brewery sold beer under that name
in several towns in Austria, sales outside Vienna represent negligible volumes.
The Court concludes that the condition of use in the course of
trade of a sign of more than mere local significance is not satisfied as regards
Austrian territory either.
Under those circumstances, the Court dismisses the actions
brought by Budějovický
Budvar in their entirety.
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