Information;Judgment — ECLI:EU:T:2019:853
Date: 2019-12-12
Language of the case: German
Subject matter: Trade marks;Intellectual, industrial and commercial property
Procedure: Action for annulment - unfounded
Origin: Germany

Judgment of the General Court (Tenth Chamber) of 12 December 2019 – Baustoffwerke Gebhart & Söhne v EUIPO (BIOTON) (Case T‑255/19) (EU trade mark — Application for EU word mark BIOTON — Absolute ground for refusal — Descriptive character — Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001 — No distinctive character — Article 7(1)(b) of Regulation 2017/1001) 1. EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark — Absolute grounds for refusal — Marks composed exclusively of signs or indications capable of designating the characteristics of a product or service — Meaning (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c)) (see para. 13) 2. EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark — Absolute grounds for refusal — Marks composed exclusively of signs or indications capable of designating the characteristics of a product or service — Assessment of the descriptive nature of a sign — Criteria (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c)) (see paras 14, 15, 26) 3. EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark — Absolute grounds for refusal — Marks composed exclusively of signs or indications capable of designating the characteristics of a product or service — Word mark BIOTON (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c)) (see paras 17-23, 25, 28) 4. EU trade mark — Decisions of the Office — Legality — EUIPO’s previous decision-making practice (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001) (see para. 27) Re: Action brought against the decision of the Fourth Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 20 February 2019 (Case R 1887/2018-4), relating to an application for registration of the word sign BOITON as an EU trade mark. Operative part The Court: 1. Dismisses the action; 2. Orders Baustoffwerke Gebhart & Söhne GmbH & Co. KG to pay the costs.