Rule 22

(1) A request for proof of use pursuant to Article 43(2) or (3) of the Regulation shall be admissible only if the applicant submits such a request within the period specified by the Office pursuant to Rule 20(2).

(2) Where the opposing party has to furnish proof of use or show that there are proper reasons for non-use, the Office shall invite him to provide the proof required within such period as it shall specify. If the opposing party does not provide such proof before the time limit expires, the Office shall reject the opposition.

(3) The indications and evidence for the furnishing of proof of use shall consist of indications concerning the place, time, extent and nature of use of the opposing trade mark for the goods and services in respect of which it is registered and on which the opposition is based, and evidence in support of these indications in accordance with paragraph 4.

(4) The evidence shall be filed in accordance with Rules 79 and 79a and shall, in principle, be confined to the submission of supporting documents and items such as packages, labels, price lists, catalogues, invoices, photographs, newspaper advertisements, and statements in writing as referred to in Article 76(1)(f) of the Regulation.

(5) A request for proof of use may be made with or without submitting at the same time observations on the grounds on which the opposition is based. Such observations may be filed together with the observations in reply to the proof of use.

(6) Where the evidence supplied by the opposing party is not in the language of the opposition proceedings, the Office may require the opposing party to submit a translation of that evidence in that language, within a period specified by the Office.