61That argument must be rejected. Although the distinctive character of the earlier mark must be taken into account when assessing the likelihood of confusion (see, by analogy, judgment of the Court of Justice in Case C-39/97 Canon [1998] ECR I-5507, paragraph 24), it is only one factor among others involved in that assessment. Thus, even in a case involving an earlier mark of weak distinctive character, on the one hand, and a trade mark applied for which is not a complete reproduction of it, on the other, there may be a likelihood of confusion on account, in particular, of a similarity between the signs and between the goods or services covered.
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