CHAPTER II

PROTECTED DESIGNATIONS OF ORIGIN AND GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS
SECTION 3

Objection procedures

National objection procedure in case of trans-border applications
Article 13
For the purposes of Article 38(3) of Regulation (EC) No 479/2008 where a trans-border application involves only Member States or at least one Member State and at least one third country, the objection procedure shall be applied in all the Member States concerned.

Submission of objections under Community procedure
Article 14
1
The objections referred to in Article 118h of Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 shall be communicated in accordance with Article 70a(1) of this Regulation. The date of submission of an objection to the Commission shall be the date on which the objection is received by the Commission. This date shall be made known to the authorities and persons concerned by the present Regulation.
2
The Commission shall confirm receipt of the objection and assign a file number to the objection.
The confirmation of receipt shall include at least the following:
a
the file number;
b
the date of receipt of the objection.

Admissibility under Community procedure
Article 15
1
For the purposes of determining whether an objection is admissible, in accordance with Article 40 of Regulation (EC) No 479/2008, the Commission shall verify that the objection mentions the prior right(s) claimed and the ground(s) for the objection and was received by the Commission within the deadline.
2
If the objection is based on the existence of an earlier trademark of reputation and renown, in accordance with Article 43(2) of Regulation (EC) No 479/2008, the objection shall be accompanied by proof of the filing, registration or use of that earlier trademark, such as the certificate of registration or proof of its use, and proof of its reputation and renown.
3
Any duly substantiated objection shall contain details of the facts, evidence and comments submitted in support of the objection, accompanied by the relevant supporting documents.
The information and evidence to be produced in support of the use of an earlier trademark shall comprise particulars of the location, duration, extent and nature of the use made of the earlier trademark, and of its reputation and renown.
4
If the details of the prior right(s) claimed, ground(s), facts, evidence or comments, or the supporting documents, as referred to in paragraphs 1 to 3, have not been produced at the same time as the objection or if some are missing, the Commission shall inform the opponent accordingly and shall invite him to remedy the deficiencies noted within a period of two months. If the deficiencies are not remedied before the time limit expires, the Commission shall reject the objection as inadmissible. The decision on inadmissibility shall be notified to the objector and to the Member State or the third-country authorities or the applicant established in the third country in question.
5
An objection that is deemed admissible shall be notified to the Member State or the third-country authorities or the applicant established in the third country in question.

Scrutiny of an objection under Community procedure
Article 16
1
If the Commission has not rejected the objection in accordance with Article 15(4), it shall communicate the objection to the Member State or the third-country authorities or the applicant established in the third country in question and shall invite him to file observations within two months from the issuance date of such communication. Any observations received within this two months period shall be communicated to the objector.
In the course of the scrutiny of an objection, the Commission shall request the parties to submit comments, if appropriate, within a period of two months from the issuance date of such request, on the communications received from the other parties.
2
If the Member State or the third-country authorities or the applicant established in the third country in question or the objector files no observations in response, or does not respect the time periods, the Commission gives a ruling on the opposition.
3
Any decision to reject or register the designation of origin or geographical indication concerned shall be taken by the Commission on the basis of the evidence available to it. The decision on rejection shall be notified to the objector and to the Member State or the third-country authorities or the applicant established in the third country in question.
4
In the event of multiple objectors, following a preliminary examination of one or more such objections, it may not be possible to accept the application for registration; in such cases, the Commission may suspend the other objection procedures. The Commission shall inform the other objectors of any decision affecting them which was taken in the course of the procedure.
Where an application is rejected, objection procedures which have been suspended shall be deemed to be closed and the objectors concerned shall be duly informed.
Substituted by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 670/2011 of 12 July 2011 amending Regulation (EC) No 607/2009 laying down certain detailed rules for the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No 479/2008 as regards protected designations of origin and geographical indications, traditional terms, labelling and presentation of certain wine sector products.