37As regards Article 15(1), it is settled case-law that there is ‘genuine use’ of a trade mark, within the meaning of that provision, where the mark is used in accordance with its essential function, which is to guarantee the identity of origin of the goods or services for which it is registered, in order to create or preserve an outlet for those goods or services; genuine use does not include token use for the sole purpose of preserving the rights conferred by the mark (see, inter alia, judgments of 11 March 2003, Ansul, C‑40/01, EU:C:2003:145, paragraph 43; of 13 September 2007, Il Ponte Finanziaria v OHIM, C‑234/06 P, EU:C:2007:514, paragraph 72; and of 19 December 2012, Leno Merken, C‑149/11, EU:C:2012:816, paragraph 29).
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