Judgment — ECLI:EU:T:2015:623
Date: 2015-09-10
Language of the case: German
Court formation: Eighth Chamber
Subject matter: Trade marks;Intellectual, industrial and commercial property
Procedure: Action for annulment - unfounded
Origin: Germany

Judgment of the General Court (Eighth Chamber) of 10 September 2015 — Laverana v OHIM (BIO CON ESTRATTI VEGETALI DI PRODUZIONE PROPRIA) (Case T‑572/14) Community trade mark — Application for Community figurative mark BIO CON ESTRATTI VEGETALI DI PRODUZIONE PROPRIA — Absolute ground for refusal — Descriptive character — Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 1. Community trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the Community trade mark — Absolute grounds for refusal — Marks composed exclusively of signs or indications which may serve to designate the characteristics of goods — Concept (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(c)) (see paras 14, 15) 2. Community trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the Community trade mark — Absolute grounds for refusal — Marks composed exclusively of signs or indications which may serve to designate the characteristics of goods — Figurative mark BIO CON ESTRATTI VEGETALI DI PRODUZIONE PROPRIA (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(c)) (see paras 16-18, 24) 3. Community trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the Community trade mark — Absolute grounds for refusal — Separate examination of the grounds for refusal in relation to each of the goods or services covered by the application for registration — Obligation to state the reasons for refusing to register — Scope (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 7(1), and 75) (see para. 19) 4. Community trade mark — Decisions of the Office — Principle of equal treatment — Principle of sound administration — OHIM’s previous decision-making practice (Council Regulation No 207/2009) (see para. 22) 5. Actions for annulment — Grounds — Misuse of powers — Concept (Art. 263 TFEU) (see para. 26) Re: ACTION brought against the decision of the Fourth Board of Appeal of OHIM of 27 May 2014 (Case R 527/2014-4) concerning an application for registration of the figurative sign BIO CON ESTRATTI VEGETALI DI PRODUZIONE PROPRIA as a Community trade mark. Operative part The Court: 1. Dismisses the action; 2. Orders Laverana GmbH & Co. KG to pay the costs.