Community trade mark — Opposition Procedure — Application for figurative Community mark RT — Earlier national word mark RTH — Relative ground for refusal — Likelihood of confusion — Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009

Judgment of the General Court (Third Chamber) of 22 May 2012 —Retractable Technologies v OHIM — Abbott Laboratories (RT)(Case T‑371/09) Community trade mark — Opposition Procedure — Application for figurative Community mark RT — Earlier national word mark RTH — Relative ground for refusal — Likelihood of confusion — Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 Community trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the Community trade mark — Relative grounds for refusal — Opposition by the proprietor of an earlier identical or similar mark registered for identical or similar goods or services — Likelihood of confusion with the earlier mark (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 8(1)(b)) (see paras 27, 28, 43-45) Re: ACTION brought against the decision of the Fourth Board of Appeal of OHIM of 24 July 2009 (Case R 1234/2008‑4) concerning opposition proceedings between Abbott Laboratories and Retractable Technologies, Inc. Operative part The Court: 1. Dismisses the action; 2. Orders Retractable Technologies, Inc. to pay the costs.