Judgment — ECLI:EU:T:2017:878
Date: 2017-12-07
Language of the case: German
Court formation: Seventh Chamber
Subject matter: Trade marks;Intellectual, industrial and commercial property
Procedure: Action for annulment - unfounded
Origin: Germany

Judgment of the General Court (Seventh Chamber) of 7 December 2017 – sheepworld v EUIPO (Alles wird gut) (Case T-622/16) (EU trade mark — Application for the EU word mark Alles wird gut — Absolute ground for refusal — No distinctive character — Article 7(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001)) 1. EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Absolute grounds for refusal – Marks devoid of any distinctive character – Assessment of distinctive character – Criteria (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(b)) (see paras 18, 19) 2. EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Absolute grounds for refusal – Marks devoid of any distinctive character – Marks constituted of advertising slogans – Distinctive character – Application of specific criteria for assessment – Not permissible (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(b)) (see paras 20-22) 3. EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Absolute grounds for refusal – Marks devoid of any distinctive character – Marks constituted of advertising slogans – Flattering promotional formula (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(b)) (see paras 23-25) 4. EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Absolute grounds for refusal – Marks devoid of any distinctive character – Word mark Alles wird gut (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(b)) (see paras 33-39, 44) 5. EU trade mark – Appeals procedure – Action before the EU judicature – Jurisdiction of the General Court – Re-evaluation of the facts in the light of evidence produced for the first time before it – Not included (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 65) (see para. 45) 6. EU trade mark – Decisions of the Office – Principle of equal treatment – Principle of sound administration – EUIPO’s previous decision-making practice – Principle of legality (Council Regulation No 207/2009) (see paras 47, 48) Re: ACTION brought against the decision of the Fourth Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 16 June 2016 (Case R 212/2016-4) concerning an application for registration of the word sign Alles wird gut as an EU trade mark. Operative part The Court: 1. Dismisses the action; 2. Orders sheepworld AG to pay the costs.