35In that regard, in order for a mark to be regarded as being put to ‘genuine use’, within the meaning of the first sentence of Article 42(2) of Regulation No 207/2009, it is necessary that that mark be used in accordance with its essential function, which is to guarantee the identity of the origin of the goods or services for which it is registered for the consumer or end user by enabling him or her, without any possibility of confusion, to distinguish the product or service from others which have another origin (see, to that effect, judgment of 17 October 2019, Landeskammer für Land- und Forstwirtschaft in Steiermark v Schmid, C‑514/18 P, not published, EU:C:2019:878, paragraphs 36 and 37 and the case-law cited). Indeed, a trade mark which is not used obstructs not only competition — since it limits the range of signs which can be registered as trade marks by others and denies competitors the opportunity to use that trade mark or a similar one when putting on to the internal market goods or services which are identical or similar to those covered by the mark in question — but also the free movement of goods and services (judgment of 19 December 2012, Merken, C‑149/11, EU:C:2012:816, paragraph 32).
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