February 28, 2025

Victory for Samsung

Hoyng Rokh Monegier & rospatt secure victory for Samsung against TCL Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG in trademark battle («The Frame» vs «NXTFRAME»)

Together with our colleagues from Hoyng Rokh Monegier, we have obtained a preliminary injunction on behalf of our client Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. («Samsung») against the company TCL Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG («TCL»), Düsseldorf Regional Court, Case No.: 2a O 226 | 24, judgment of February 26, 2025. 

The injunction is based on trademark law, namely on Samsung’s EU trademark No. 016204489 «The Frame» registered, amongst others, for «televisions». Since 2017, Samsung has successfully marketed its highly acclaimed and innovative «The Frame» television series in Europe. 

Under the Düsseldorf Court’s judgment, TCL is prohibited from using the sign «NXTFRAME» in the course of trade with televisions within the European Union, whether directly or through third parties. In particular, TCL is prohibited from offering or distributing televisions under this sign. In its judgment following an oral hearing on January 29, 2025, the court found a likelihood of confusion between «The Frame» and «NXTFRAME». TCL has appealed the injunction judgment. TCL Technology Group Corporation has initiated two separate proceedings before EUIPO (Case Nos.: 000069307 C and 000069365 C) challenging the validity of Samsung’s EU word mark «The Frame». Decisions in these cases are still pending.

Team Hoyng Rokh Monegier: Thomas Schmitz, Mathis Breuer, Paul Raijmakers, Tamara Warzecha
Team rospatt: Dr. Rüdiger Pansch, Dr. Melanie Strobel, Lea Kolligs