Athlet v EUIPO - Heuver Banden Groothandel (ATHLET)

Judgment of the General Court of 17 January 2024 – Athlet v EUIPO – Heuver Banden Groothandel (ATHLET)(Case T-650/22) 1(EU trade mark – Invalidity proceedings – EU word mark ATHLET – Absolute ground for invalidity – Bad faith – Article 52(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 59(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001))Language of the case: German Parties Applicant: Athlet Ltd (London, United Kingdom) (represented by:S. Reinhard, lawyer)Defendant: European Union Intellectual Property Office (represented by:D. Hanf, acting as Agent)Other party to the proceedings before the Board of Appeal of EUIPO, intervener before the General Court: Heuver Banden Groothandel BV (Den Ham Ov, Netherlands) (represented by:R. Kunze, F. Tyra and E. Beer, lawyers)Re:By its action under Article 263 TFEU, the applicant seeks the annulment of the decision of the First Board of Appeal of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) of 8 August 2022 (Case R 2214 /2019-1). Operative part of the judgment The Court:1.    Dismisses the action;2.    Orders Athlet Ltd to bear its own costs and to pay Heuver Banden Groothandel BV’s costs;2.    Orders EUIPO to bear its own costs.____________1     OJ C 35, 30.1.2023.