Corte di giustizia UE n. 1855/2016

[OSCURATO:PERSONA] ([OSCURATO:PERSONA]) 21 July 2016 ( * ) (Appeal — [OSCURATO:PERSONA] trade mark — No need to adjudicate) [OSCURATO:PERSONA] C‑363/15 P and C‑364/15 P, APPEALS under [OSCURATO:PERSONA] 56 of the Statute of the [OSCURATO:PERSONA] of Justice of the [OSCURATO:PERSONA], lodged on 9 July 2015, [OSCURATO:PERSONA] SA, established in Paris (France), represented by P. Roncaglia, G. Lazzeretti, F. Rossi, and N. Parrotta, avvocati, appellant, the other parties to the proceedings being: [OSCURATO:PERSONA] (EUIPO), represented by P. Bullock and D. Hanf, acting as Agents, defendant at first instance, Nanu-[OSCURATO:PERSONA] mbH für Geschenkartikel & Co. KG, established in Berlin (Germany), represented by T. Boddien and A. Nordemann, Rechtsanwälte, intervener at first instance, [OSCURATO:PERSONA] ([OSCURATO:PERSONA]), composed of R. Silva de Lapuerta, President of the [OSCURATO:PERSONA], A Arabadjiev, J.‑C. Bonichot, C.G. Fernlund (Rapporteur) and S. Rodin, Judges, [OSCURATO:PERSONA]: M. [OSCURATO:PERSONA]: A. [OSCURATO:PERSONA] having regard to the written procedure, having decided, after hearing the [OSCURATO:PERSONA], to give a decision by reasoned order, pursuant to [OSCURATO:PERSONA] 149 of the Rules of Procedure of the [OSCURATO:PERSONA] of Justice, applicable to the procedure on appeal by virtue of [OSCURATO:PERSONA] 190 of those rules, makes the following [OSCURATO:PERSONA] 1 By its appeals, [OSCURATO:PERSONA] SA (‘[OSCURATO:PERSONA]’) seeks to have set aside: –        the judgment of the [OSCURATO:PERSONA] of the [OSCURATO:PERSONA] of 21 April 2015 in [OSCURATO:PERSONA] v OHIM — Nanu-[OSCURATO:PERSONA] (Representation of a brown and beige chequerboard pattern) (T‑359/12, EU:T:2015:215), by which that court dismissed its application for annulment of the decision of the [OSCURATO:PERSONA] of Appeal of the [OSCURATO:PERSONA] (EUIPO) of 4 May 2012 (Case R 1855/2011-1), relating to invalidity proceedings between Nanu-[OSCURATO:PERSONA] mbH für Geschenkartikel & Co. KG (‘Nanu-[OSCURATO:PERSONA]’) and [OSCURATO:PERSONA], –        the judgment of the [OSCURATO:PERSONA] of 21 April 2015 in [OSCURATO:PERSONA] v OHIM — Nanu-[OSCURATO:PERSONA] (Representation of a grey chequerboard pattern) (T‑360/12, not published, EU:T:2015:214), by which that court dismissed its application for annulment of the decision of the [OSCURATO:PERSONA] of Appeal of EUIPO of 16 May 2012 (Case R 1854/2011-1), relating to invalidity proceedings between those parties. 2 [OSCURATO:PERSONA] also seeks an order that EUIPO and Nanu-[OSCURATO:PERSONA] pay the costs of the appeals. 3 By order of the President of the [OSCURATO:PERSONA] of 17 November 2015, [OSCURATO:PERSONA] C‑363/15 P and C‑364/15 P were joined for the purposes of the written and oral stages of the procedure and the judgment. 4 By letter of 20 June 2016 signed by their respective lawyers, [OSCURATO:PERSONA] and Nanu-[OSCURATO:PERSONA] informed the [OSCURATO:PERSONA] that they had reached an amicable settlement on the basis of which Nanu-[OSCURATO:PERSONA] was to withdraw its actions for a declaration of invalidity in respect of the EU trade marks registered under Nos 370445 and 6587851 held by [OSCURATO:PERSONA] and that, as a result, there was no longer any need to adjudicate on the appeals. 5 By letter of 23 June 2016, EUIPO indicated that it had no observations in that regard and requested that [OSCURATO:PERSONA] be ordered to pay the costs because the fact that there is no need to proceed to judgment is due to the settlement reached by [OSCURATO:PERSONA] and Nanu-[OSCURATO:PERSONA]. The appeal 6 It is common ground that the settlement reached by [OSCURATO:PERSONA] and Nanu-[OSCURATO:PERSONA] has led to the latter withdrawing its applications for a declaration of invalidity in respect of the figurative EU trade marks at issue. 7 In those circumstances, it is clear that there is no need to rule on the present appeals. Costs 8 [OSCURATO:PERSONA] 149 of the Rules of Procedure of the [OSCURATO:PERSONA] of Justice, which applies to appeals by virtue of [OSCURATO:PERSONA] 190 of those rules, where a case does not proceed to judgment, the costs are in the discretion of the [OSCURATO:PERSONA]. 9 In accordance with Articles 142 and 184(1) of those rules, in that case, the order as to costs is to be made freely by the [OSCURATO:PERSONA], subject, however, to the provisions of [OSCURATO:PERSONA] 184(2) to (4). 10 In the circumstances, there is no need to give a decision in the present case because a settlement has been reached between [OSCURATO:PERSONA] and Nanu-[OSCURATO:PERSONA]. It follows therefrom that the appellant and the intervener at first instance are responsible for there being no need to rule. 11 The procedure before the [OSCURATO:PERSONA] has entailed a written stage, in which Nanu-[OSCURATO:PERSONA] participated. In consequence, in accordance with [OSCURATO:PERSONA] 184(4) of the Rules of Procedure, Nanu-[OSCURATO:PERSONA] must be ordered to bear its own costs in the present proceedings. 12 It follows that [OSCURATO:PERSONA] must be ordered to bear its own costs and to pay the costs incurred by EUIPO in the present proceedings. On those grounds, the [OSCURATO:PERSONA] ([OSCURATO:PERSONA]) hereby orders: 1. There is no need to adjudicate on the appeals. 2. Nanu-[OSCURATO:PERSONA] mbH für Geschenkartikel & Co. KG shall pay its own costs in Case C‑363/15 P and Case C‑364/15 P. 3. [OSCURATO:PERSONA] SA shall bear its own costs and pay the costs incurred by the [OSCURATO:PERSONA] (EUIPO) in Case C‑363/15 P and Case C‑364/15 P. [Signatures] * Language of the case: English.