OPPOSITION Nо B 3 137 260

 

Unison, 130 Euston Road, London NW1 2AY, United Kingdom (opponent), represented by Mathys & Squire LLP, The Shard 32 London Bridge Street, London SE1 9SG, United Kingdom (professional representative) 

 

a g a i n s t

 

Uniscon Universal Identidy Control GmbH, Ridlerstrasse 57, 80339 München, Germany (applicant), represented by Dehmel & Bettenhausen Patentanwälte PartmbB, Herzogspitalstr. 11, 80331 München, Germany (professional representative).

On 04/03/2021, the Opposition Division takes the following

 

 

DECISION:

 

1.	Opposition No B 3 137 260 is rejected in its entirety.
2.	Each party bears its own costs.

 

REASONS

 

The opponent filed an opposition against all the goods and services of European Union trade mark application No 18 255 007 ‘UNISCON’ (word mark), namely against all the goods and services in Classes 9, 38 and 42. The opposition is based on United Kingdom trade mark registrations No 1 499 660, ‘UNISON’; No 2 486 964, ‘UNISON’; No 2 401 766, and No 2 486 967, . The opponent invoked Article 8(1)(b) EUTMR.

 

On 01/02/2020, the United Kingdom (UK) withdrew from the European Union (EU) subject to a transition period until 31/12/2020. During this transition period EU law remained applicable in the UK. As from 01/01/2021, UK rights ceased ex-lege to be earlier rights protected ‘in a Member State’ for the purposes of proceedings based on relative grounds. The conditions for applying Article 8(1) EUTMR, worded in the present tense, must also be fulfilled at the time of taking the decision.

 

As the opposition no longer has a valid basis, it must be dismissed.

 

COSTS

 

According to Article 109(1) EUTMR, the losing party in opposition proceedings must bear the fees and costs incurred by the other party. According to Article 109(3) EUTMR, where each party succeeds on some heads and fails on others, or if reasons of equity so dictate, the Opposition Division will decide a different apportionment of costs.

 

As the termination of the proceedings is due to exceptional statutory reasons not attributable to any of the parties, it is equitable that each party bears its own costs.

 

 

 

The Opposition Division

 

 

Begoña URIARTE VALIENTE

Fernando AZCONA DELGADO

Martina GALLE

 

 

According to Article 67 EUTMR, any party adversely affected by this decision has a right to appeal against this decision. According to Article 68 EUTMR, notice of appeal must be filed in writing at the Office within two months of the date of notification of this decision. It must be filed in the language of the proceedings in which the decision subject to appeal was taken. Furthermore, a written statement of the grounds for appeal must be filed within four months of the same date. The notice of appeal will be deemed to have been filed only when the appeal fee of EUR 720 has been paid.