European Union – Trade marks. In respect of opposition proceedings to the intervener's application for registration of a figurative sign as a European Union trade mark, in which the applicant had relied on a non-registered figurative mark, the General Court of the European Union held that the respondent Fourth Board of Appeal of the European Union Intellectual Property Office had been incorrect to have disregarded the applicant's reference to art 12(6) of the Bulgarian Law on trade marks and geographical indications in its statement of grounds of appeal, without having exercised its powers of verification.