Article 53

A Community trade mark shall be declared invalid on application to the Office or on the basis of a counterclaim in infringement proceedings: where there is an earlier trade mark as referred to in Article 8(2) and the conditions set out in paragraph 1 or paragraph 5 of that Article are fulfilled; where there is a trade mark as referred to in Article 8(3) and the conditions set out in that paragraph are fulfilled; where there is an earlier right as referred to in Article 8(4) and the conditions set out in that paragraph are fulfilled. A Community trade mark shall also be declared invalid on application to the Office or on the basis of a counterclaim in infringement proceedings where the use of such trade mark may be prohibited pursuant to another earlier right under the Community legislation or national law governing its protection, and in particular: a right to a name; a right of personal portrayal; a copyright; an industrial property right. A Community trade mark may not be declared invalid where the proprietor of a right referred to in paragraphs 1 or 2 consents expressly to the registration of the Community trade mark before submission of the application for a declaration of invalidity or the counterclaim. Where the proprietor of one of the rights referred to in paragraphs 1 or 2 has previously applied for a declaration that a Community trade mark is invalid or made a counterclaim in infringement proceedings, he may not submit a new application for a declaration of invalidity or lodge a counterclaim on the basis of another of the said rights which he could have invoked in support of his first application or counterclaim. Article 52(3) shall apply.

← art_52__para_3__text_1 · All articles · 1. →

Source: EUR-Lex (Cellar) · retrieved 2026-10-12 · Text as adopted (Official Journal); later amendments are not incorporated in this text.