Information;Order — ECLI:EU:T:2020:271
Date: 2020-06-11
Language of the case: English
Court formation: Second Chamber
Subject matter: Trade marks;Intellectual, industrial and commercial property
Procedure: Action for annulment - unfounded

Order of the General Court (Second Chamber) of 11 June 2020 – Perfect Bar v EUIPO (PERFECT Bar) (Case T‑563/19) (Action for annulment – EU trade mark – Application for EU figurative mark PERFECT Bar – Absolute grounds for refusal – No distinctive character – Descriptive character – Article 7(1)(b) and (c) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001 – Decision taken following the annulment by the General Court of an earlier decision – Article 72(6) of Regulation 2017/1001 – Action manifestly lacking any foundation in law) 1. Action for annulment – Judgment ordering annulment – Effects – Obligation to adopt implementing measures – Scope – Account to be taken of both the operative part and the grounds of the judgment – Retroactive effect of annulment (Art. 266 TFEU) (see paras 25, 26) 2. EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Absolute grounds for refusal – Marks consisting exclusively of signs or indications which may serve to designate the characteristics of a product or service – Aim – Requirement of availability (Regulation 2017/1001 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Art. 7(1)(c)) (see para. 41) 3. EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Absolute grounds for refusal – Marks consisting exclusively of signs or indications which may serve to designate the characteristics of a product or service – Concept (Regulation 2017/1001 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Art. 7(1)(c)) (see paras 42-44) 4. EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Absolute grounds for refusal – Marks consisting exclusively of signs or indications which may serve to designate the characteristics of a product or service – Figurative mark PERFECT Bar (Regulation 2017/1001 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Art. 7(1)(c)) (see paras 57-60) Re: Action brought against the decision of the Fifth Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 6 June 2019 (Case R 372/2019-5), relating to the application for registration of the figurative sign PERFECT Bar as an EU trade mark. Operative part 1. Dismisses the action as manifestly lacking any foundation in law. 2. Orders Perfect Bar LLC to pay the costs.