Ordine dei Consulenti in proprietà industriale

“Il disegno comunitario nell’esperienza

dell’UAMI: domande & risposte”

Giornata italiana, Milano, 09.10.2006

José J. Izquierdo, Assistant to Director,

Designs Department

Content“Il disegno comunitario: prassi e giurisprudenza”

(09.30-10.30)

General update on the Registered Community Design (RCD)ExaminationInvalidity

Decisions from the Boards of Appeal

Infringement cases on CDs

“Web services per il designo”(11.30-12.00)

RCD e-filingRCD onlineEurolocarno

Questions at any time

Il disegno comunitario: prassi e

giurisprudenza

Examination and registration operations

RCD OVERALL FIGURES

Total designs received Total designs received (until 31/08/2006)(until 31/08/2006):: 201.000201.000

Designs refused:Designs refused: 1.0001.000

Designs withdrawn:Designs withdrawn: 1.4001.400

Total designs published:Total designs published: 192.000192.000

Average designs / application:Average designs / application: 3.8 3.8

80% of designs published within:80% of designs published within: 8 weeks 8 weeks

Applications for invalidity:Applications for invalidity: 315 (0.16%) 315 (0.16%)

31,551 filed designs by IT applicants 31,551 filed designs by IT applicants (15.69%: after DE and before US)(15.69%: after DE and before US)

30,853 filed designs by IT representatives 30,853 filed designs by IT representatives (15.34%: after DE & UK)(15.34%: after DE & UK)

Most common sectors: furniture (class Most common sectors: furniture (class 06); clothing (class 02); packaging (class 06); clothing (class 02); packaging (class 09) 09)

RCD 13

RCD 21

RCD 480439

RCD 473251

RCD

Locarno Class: 99

RCD

Locarno Class: 99

CTMNice classes: 9, 16, 18,

25, 28, 38, 41

CTMNice classes: 9, 16, 18,

25, 28, 38, 41

Examination of Italian applicationsExamination of Italian applicationsExamination of Italian applicationsExamination of Italian applications

…but some tips to improve the filing and its processing

…but some tips to improve the filing and its processing

RCD 425103

RCD 122650 RCD 479399

Use e-filing or only mail; avoid fax even if urgent filing is

required (e.g. priority)

Use e-filing or only mail; avoid fax even if urgent filing is

required (e.g. priority)

Views relate to the same designViews relate to the same design

Discuss: Colour issue: “claim”; extra views for the file…Discuss: Colour issue: “claim”; extra views for the file…

“Ornamentale”“Ornamentale”

Other: plural indication; specify indication in case of multiple application

Other: plural indication; specify indication in case of multiple application

“Numero di prospettive”“Numero di prospettive”

1.11.A

1.1

1.2

“Numero di prospettive”“Numero di prospettive”

“Autore”“Autore”

“Procura”“Procura”

Invalidity

Open cases

In inter partes proceedings

ready for decision Total

Until 2005 92 9 101

2006 3 17 20

Cumulated 95 26 121

Total cases filed Settled Open Total

Until 2005 95 101 196

2006 99 20 119

Cumulated 194 121 315

OVERVIEW OF CASES

OUTCOME OF INVALIDITY CASES

Settlement of casesTotal without decision

25%

Total with decision

75%

DECISIONS TAKENApplication for

invalidity rejected39%

CD invalidated61%

NATIONALITY OF APPLICANTS

TW1%

CN4%

BS1%JP

2%KR1%US

7%

NL5%

SE4% UK

6%AT6%

DE18%

ES30%

PT2%

GROUNDS FOR INVALIDITY FREQUENCY OF CLAIMS

1

281

1

4837

70

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g)

CASES DISCUSSED UNTIL NOW

Prior Spanish Industrial Model

RCD 3595-0001

27.04.04

Decision available in:

RCD 18148-0001Prior RCD 1276-0002

03.06.04

Prior design RCD 55520-0001

02.07.04

Prior Spanish utility model RCD 3660-0001

20.07.04

RCD 5269-0001Prior Community Trade Mark 998450

03.12.04

RCD 20318-0001

Prior Spanish industrial model Prior Spanish trade marks

01.03.05

23.05.05

Prior international registration RCD 1912-0001

14.06.05

Prior German design

and international registrationRCD 107396-0001

RCD 85311-0001Prior Japanese design

20.06.05

RCD 74463-0001

Prior RCD 53186-0001

20.06.05

RCD 58334-0002

Prior Spanish trade mark

29.07.05

RCD 58334 -0001Prior Spanish trade marks

05.09.05

RCD 000294145-0001

Prior Spanish design

13.12.05

RCD 286430-0001

CTM 377580

08.02.06

Prior Spanish design (published

but refused)

RCD 000162425

01.03.06

International TM

¿Any use of a distinctive sign in a design implies its invalidity? NO

CONCLUSIONI DELL’AVVOCATO GENERALEDÁMASO RUIZ-JARABO COLOMER, C-48/05, 07.03.06

Adam Opel AGcontro

Autec AG

“L’utilizzazione per giocattoli di un segno registrato non costituisce un uso in quanto marchio ai sensi dell’art. 5, n. 1,

lett. a), della direttiva del Consiglio 21 dicembre 1988, 89/104/CEE[..] quando il produttore di un modellino giocattolo

di automobile riproduce in miniatura un autoveicolo realmente esistente, incluso il marchio del titolare di quest’ultimo apposto sull’originale, e lo immette in

commercio”

Opel Astra V8 coupe

RCD 226444

Prior design RCD 119961-0001

06.02.06

RCD 000370200-0001

29.03.06

Prior designs

RCD 352315-0007

24.08.06

Prior German TM

RCD 196167-0003

29.08.06

Prior design

RCD 000273693-0001

31.08.06

Prior Chinese design

RCD 0000171178-0005

31.08.06

Prior design

RCD 330782 -0001

12.09.06

Prior French TM

RCD 123013-0001

13.09.06

Prior UK design

Appeal

AppealsAppeals

SETTLED CASES 2004 8

IR granted 6

Decision made 2

 

SETTLED CASES 2005 7

IR granted 3

Decision made 2

Closed without decision 1

SETTLED CASES 2006 3

IR granted 1

Decision made 2

Closed without decision   0

COLOUR:COLOUR:

RCD 000068606-0001RCD 000068606-0001

Filed on 04/08/2003Filed on 04/08/2003

Published on Published on 23/03/200423/03/2004

Interlocutory review by Interlocutory review by DDDD

Filing date (appl. sent via Nat’l Filing date (appl. sent via Nat’l Office):Office):

RCD RCD 000110382-0001000110382-0001

Filed on Filed on 28/11/2003 28/11/2003

Published on Published on 23/03/2004 23/03/2004

R 351/2004-3: BoA did not R 351/2004-3: BoA did not endorse Examiner (21.09.04)endorse Examiner (21.09.04)

Finding: filing date must be Finding: filing date must be 20/08/200320/08/2003

COLOUR:COLOUR:

RCD RCD 000165683 000165683 -0001-0001

Filed on Filed on 26/04/2004 26/04/2004

Published on Published on 09/08/2005 09/08/2005

R 965/2004-3 :R 965/2004-3 :BoA endorsed BoA endorsed Examiner (31.03.05): 7 views: 4 Examiner (31.03.05): 7 views: 4 in blue and 3 in red – 2 in blue and 3 in red – 2 different designsdifferent designs

PRIORITY:PRIORITY:

RCD RCD 000230990000230990-0001-0001

Filed on Filed on 24/09/2004 24/09/2004

Published on Published on 11/07/2006 11/07/2006

R 784-200-3: BoA reversed R 784-200-3: BoA reversed Examiner (14.03.06): Examiner (14.03.06):

““priority from more than priority from more than one previous application one previous application can be claimed when the can be claimed when the registration of a registration of a Community design is filedCommunity design is filed””

Caselaw on CDs

http://oami.eu.int/en/design/aspects/cdcourt.htm

RCD 000016407-0001

RCD 000016407-0002

Europochette c.s. vs Vanderbiest c.s.(The Hague court, 27.10.04)

Extract from ruling: “.. the sleeping-bag design in general is not eligible for protection. Only the specific way in which it is configured is protectable … The Judge for Interim Injunctions finds that, given the designer’s limited freedom in developing a cutlery pouch, described in 3.9 – 3.11 above, the differences between Europochette on the one hand and the wide and narrow versions of NapTidi on the other hand are more than minor. Indeed, the NapTidi pouches give an informed give an informed user a different overall impression from that of Europochette.user a different overall impression from that of Europochette. ”

UCD presented in CeBit trade fair on 12.03.02

http://press.nokia.com/PR/200203/851838_5.html

UCD presented in CeBit trade fair on 12.03.02

http://press.nokia.com/PR/200203/851838_5.html

Nokia Corporation vs Jassim Waly HussinNokia Corporation vs Jassim Waly Hussin(Stockholm District court, 22.12.04)(Stockholm District court, 22.12.04)

UCDs of Starform (deposited before Dutch tax authorities in May/June 2004 and marketed since August 2004)

UCDs of Starform (deposited before Dutch tax authorities in May/June 2004 and marketed since August 2004)

Starform BV vs Time Out Holland(The Hague Court, 07.01.05)

RCDs No. 255104 by Time Out ( filed on 18.11.04; published on 08.02.05)

RCDs No. 255104 by Time Out ( filed on 18.11.04; published on 08.02.05)

RCDs by Plastimoda RCDs by Plastimoda

Plastimoda Spa vs Creaciones B’Eloni SLPlastimoda Spa vs Creaciones B’Eloni SL(AP Alicante, CTM & CD appellate court, 14.04.05)(AP Alicante, CTM & CD appellate court, 14.04.05)

Infringer’s goods Infringer’s goods UCD by PlastimodaUCD by Plastimoda

Invoked rights: CTM 91884, CTM 91835, RCDs 32438-0002, 32438-0004; 62591-0006Invoked rights: CTM 91884, CTM 91835, RCDs 32438-0002, 32438-0004; 62591-0006

BMW vs Svenska GummihusetBMW vs Svenska Gummihuset(Stockholm District court, 15.04.05)(Stockholm District court, 15.04.05)

Infringing goods as displayed in the defendant’s website (extract of judgment)Infringing goods as displayed in the defendant’s website (extract of judgment)

Festina Lotus vs Grupo Munreco SLFestina Lotus vs Grupo Munreco SL(Juzgado Alicante, CTM & CD first instance court, 20.10.05)(Juzgado Alicante, CTM & CD first instance court, 20.10.05)

RCD 330667-23; 380027-1; 380027-2; 380027-38 by Festina –Subject to Invalidityproceedings before OHIM

Infringing goods(also protected as RCDby Munreco)

Panini España SA vs Kellogg’s España SLPanini España SA vs Kellogg’s España SL(Juzgado Alicante, CTM & CD first instance court, 21.12.05)(Juzgado Alicante, CTM & CD first instance court, 21.12.05)

RCD 110648-0006 by Panini

Infringing goods

Tous SL vs Vilplasgo SLTous SL vs Vilplasgo SL(AP Alicante, CTM & CD appellate court, 01.03.06)(AP Alicante, CTM & CD appellate court, 01.03.06)

CTM 3236619 - used as ornament in TOUS handbags, disclosed as UCDs during spring-summer campaigns 2003-2004

Ornaments used by the defendant in infringing goods - Such ornaments protected as RCDs 15904-1 & 3

Web services per il disegno

RCD e-filing

RCD-ONLINE SEARCH SYSTEM

EUROLOCARNOEUROLOCARNO

GRAZIEGRAZIE