en el caso de la OEPM, el examen de fondo se realiza de oficio (aún en el caso de que no se presenten oposiciones)para verificar si la solicitud cumple los requisitos previstos en la Ley.




The proceedings were suspended from 19/11/1999 until 24/05/2000. The parties presented three
requests for suspension, the first one on 19/11/1999 requesting suspension until 24/01/2000; the
second one on 19/01/2000 requesting suspension until 24/03/2000; and the third one on
13/03/2000 requesting suspension until 24/05/2000. All the suspension requests were granted.
The opposition proceedings were resumed on 25/05/2000.
No proof of use was received from the opponent within the time limit nor within the remaining
days of the time limit left in view of the suspension after opposition proceeding was resumed.
The Office considers that it has sufficient information and now gives a ruling on the opposition.

The proceedings were suspended from 19/11/1999 until 24/05/2000. The parties presented three
requests for suspension, the first one on 19/11/1999 requesting suspension until 24/01/2000; the
second one on 19/01/2000 requesting suspension until 24/03/2000; and the third one on
13/03/2000 requesting suspension until 24/05/2000. All the suspension requests were granted.
The opposition proceedings were resumed on 25/05/2000.
No proof of use was received from the opponent within the time limit nor within the remaining
days of the time limit left in view of the suspension after opposition proceeding was resumed.
The Office considers that it has sufficient information and now gives a ruling on the opposition.

On 20/08/1998, the applicant was informed by the Office that his request of suspension of the
proceedings was refused.





6. Examen de fondo

Transcurrido el plazo para la presentación de oposiciones, se procederá a examinar de oficio si la solicitud cumple los requisitos previstos en la Ley.

7. Resolución

Cuando no se hubieran presentado oposiciones y del examen de fondo resultara que la solicitud cumple con los requisitos legales, la OEPM concederá la marca solicitada.

En caso contrario, se suspenderá el expediente, publicándose en el “Boletín Oficial de la Propiedad Industrial” las causas de suspensión para que el solicitante presente sus alegaciones. Transcurrido el plazo de contestación al suspenso, se resolverá el expediente motivadamente, especificándose, en caso de denegación, los motivos de la misma.




http://www.aedpi.com/grupos_actividades/dcha/propiedad.htm






On the substance
As regards bad faith
9 In the light of the material before us, the Cancellation Division is in no doubt that the proprietor was
acting in bad faith at the time of filing the application for the Community trade mark. Article 51(1)(b) CTMR
requires that the applicant acted in bad faith, no matter who holds the CTM at a later stage, and would be
party to cancellation proceedings, for instance, after an assignment of the CTM. However, in the case
before us the actual proprietor was also the applicant.
10 Bad faith is a narrow legal concept in the CTMR system. Bad faith is the opposite of good faith,
generally implying or involving, but not limited to, actual or constructive fraud, or a design to mislead or
deceive another, or any other sinister motive. Conceptually, bad faith can be understood as a ‘dishonest
intention’. This means that bad faith may be interpreted as unfair practices involving lack of any honest
intention on the part of the applicant of the CTM at the time of filing.
11 Bad faith can be understood either as unfair practices involving lack of good faith on the part of the
applicant towards the Office at the time of filing, or unfair practices based on acts infringing a third
person’s rights. There is bad faith not only in cases where the applicant intentionally submits wrong or
misleadingly insufficient information to the Office, but also in circumstances where he intends, through
registration, to lay his hands on the trade mark of a third party with whom he had contractual or precontractual
relations.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2004-02-16 14:52:06 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

another option can be:

suspension (ex officio) on the merits of the application