7.2.2009   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 32/27

Judgment of the Court of First Instance of 16 December 2008 — Budějovický Budvar v OHIM — Anheuser-Busch (BUD)

(Joined Cases T-225/06, T-255/06, T-257/06 and T-309/06) (1)

(Community trade mark - Opposition proceedings - Applications for Community word and figurative marks BUD - Appellations ‘bud’ - Relative grounds for refusal - Article 8(4) of Regulation (EC) No 40/94)

(2009/C 32/49)

Language of the case: English

Parties

Applicant: Budějovický Budvar, národní podnik (Česke Budějovice, Czech Republic) (represented by: F. Fajgenbaum and C. Petsch, lawyers)

Defendant: Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (Trade Marks and Designs) (represented by: A. Folliard-Monguiral, acting as Agent)

Other party to the proceedings before the Board of Appeal of OHIM, intervening before the Court of First Instance: Anheuser-Busch, Inc. (Saint Louis, Missouri, United States) (represented: initially by V. von Bomhard, A. Renck, B. Goebel and A. Pohlmann, and subsequently by V. von Bomhard, A. Renck and B. Goebel, lawyers)

Re:

Actions brought against decisions of the Second Board of Appeal of OHIM of 14 June 2006 (Case R 234/2005-2), 28 June 2006 (Cases R 241/2005-2 and R 802/2004-2) and 1 September 2006 (Case R 305/2005-2) relating to opposition proceedings between Budějovický Budvar, národní podnik and Anheuser-Busch, Inc.

Operative part of the judgment

The Court:

1.

Orders the joinder of Cases T-225/06, T-255/06, T-257/06 and T-309/06 for the purposes of the judgment;

2.

Annuls the decisions of the Second Board of Appeal of the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (Trade Marks and Designs (OHIM) of 14 June (Case R 234/2005-2), 28 June (Cases R 241/2005-2 and R 802/2004-2) and 1 September 2006 (Case R 305/2005-2) relating to opposition proceedings between Budějovický Budvar, národní podnik and Anheuser-Busch, Inc.;

3.

Orders OHIM to bear its own costs and to pay two thirds of the costs of Budějovický Budvar, národní podnik;

4.

Orders Anheuser-Busch to bear its own costs and to pay one third of the costs of Budějovický Budvar, národní podnik.

(1)  OJ C 261, 28.10.2006.