Article 7

1. The Office shall give the opposing party the opportunity to submit the facts, evidence and arguments in support of the opposition or to complete any facts, evidence or arguments that have already been submitted pursuant to Article 2(4). For that purpose, the Office shall specify a time limit which shall be at least two months, starting on the date on which the adversarial part of the opposition proceedings is deemed to commence in accordance with Article 6(1).

2. Within the period referred to in paragraph 1, the opposing party shall also file evidence of the existence, validity and scope of protection of its earlier mark or right, as well as evidence proving its entitlement to file the opposition. In particular, the opposing party shall provide the following evidence:

(a) where the opposition is based on an earlier trade mark within the meaning of Article 8(2)(a) and (b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001, which is not an EU trade mark, evidence of its filing or registration, by submitting:

(i) a copy of the relevant filing certificate or an equivalent document from the administration with which the trade mark application was filed, if the trade mark is not yet registered; or

(ii) where the earlier trade mark is registered, a copy of the relevant registration certificate and, if applicable, of the latest renewal certificate, showing that the term of protection of the trade mark extends beyond the time limit referred to in paragraph 1 or any extension thereof, or equivalent documents from the administration by which the trade mark was registered;

(b) where the opposition is based on a well-known mark within the meaning of Article 8(2)(c) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001, evidence showing that that mark is well known in the relevant territory for the goods or services indicated in accordance with Article 2(2)(g) of this Regulation;

(c) where the opposition is based on the absence of the proprietor's consent as referred to in Article 8(3) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001, evidence of the opposing party's proprietorship of the prior trade mark and of its relationship with the agent or representative;

(d) where the opposition is based on an earlier right within the meaning of Article 8(4) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001, evidence showing use of that right in the course of trade of more than mere local significance, as well as evidence of its acquisition, continued existence and scope of protection including, where the earlier right is invoked pursuant to the law of a Member State, a clear identification of the content of the national law relied upon by adducing publications of the relevant provisions or jurisprudence;

(e) where the opposition is based on an earlier designation of origin or geographical indication within the meaning of Article 8(6) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001, evidence of its acquisition, continued existence and scope of protection including, where the earlier designation of origin or geographical indication is invoked pursuant to the law of a Member State, a clear identification of the content of the national law relied upon by adducing publications of the relevant provisions or jurisprudence;

(f) if the opposition is based on a mark with a reputation within the meaning of Article 8(5) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001, in addition to the evidence referred to in point (a) of this paragraph, evidence showing that the mark has a reputation in the Union or in the Member State concerned for the goods or services indicated in accordance with Article 2(2)(g) of this Regulation, as well as evidence or arguments showing that use without due cause of the trade mark applied for would take unfair advantage of, or be detrimental to, the distinctive character or the repute of the earlier trade mark.

3. Where the evidence concerning the filing or registration of the earlier rights referred to in paragraph 2(a) or, where applicable, paragraph 2(d) or (e), or the evidence concerning the content of the relevant national law, is accessible online from a source recognised by the Office, the opposing party may provide such evidence by making reference to that source.

4. Any filing, registration or renewal certificates or equivalent documents referred to in paragraph 2(a), (d) or (e), as well as any provisions of the applicable national law governing the acquisition of rights and their scope of protection as referred to in paragraph 2(d) and (e), including evidence accessible online as referred to in paragraph 3, shall be in the language of the proceedings or shall be accompanied by a translation into that language. The translation shall be submitted by the opposing party of its own motion within the time limit specified for submitting the original document. Any other evidence submitted by the opposing party to substantiate the opposition shall be subject to Article 24 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/626. Translations submitted after the expiry of the relevant time limits shall not be taken into account.

5. The Office shall not take into account written submissions, or parts thereof, which have not been submitted in or not been translated into the language of the proceedings within the time limit set by the Office in accordance with paragraph 1.