The EUIPO opposition division has upheld the opposition filed by isportlaw teamed up with colleague Elisabetta Pepe. This decision reinforces a crucial principle in EU trademark law: the protection extends beyond the “first-to-file” rule. The EUIPO confirmed that the likelihood of confusion (specifically, the risk that the public might perceive goods or services as originating from the same or economically linked undertakings) is a decisive factor in preventing the registration of similar trademarks. The EUIPO concluded that there is a high degree of visual similarity and aural identity between the earlier mark and the contested sign, leading to a risk of confusion for the relevant public.

Full decision is available here: https://euipo.europa.eu/eSearchCLW/#key/trademark/OPP_20260618_003240551_019164956