Judgment — ECLI:EU:T:2016:749
Date: 2016-12-15
Language of the case: English
Subject matter: Trade marks;Intellectual, industrial and commercial property
Procedure: Action for annulment - successful

Judgment of the General Court of 15 December 2016 — Novartis v EUIPO (Representation of a grey curve and representation of a green curve) (Joined Cases T-678/15 and T-679/15) 1 (EU trade mark — Applications for EU figurative trade marks representing a grey curve and representing a green curve — Absolute ground for refusal — Distinctive character — Simplicity of the sign — Article 7(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009) Language of the case: English Parties Applicant: Novartis AG (Basel, Switzerland) (represented by: M. Zintler, lawyer) Defendant: European Union Intellectual Property Office (represented by: H. Kunz and S. Hanne, Agents) Re: Two actions brought against the decisions of the Fifth Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 23 September 2015 (Cases R 78/2015-5 and R 89/2015-5), concerning applications for registration of two figurative signs, representing a grey curve and representing a green curve, as EU trade marks. Operative part of the judgment The Court: Annuls the decisions of the Fifth Board of Appeal of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) of 23 September 2015 (Cases R 78/2015-5 and R 89/2015-5); Allows the appeals brought by Novartis AG before that Board of Appeal; Orders EUIPO to pay the costs. ____________ 1 OJ C 90, 7.3.2016.