Information;Judgment — ECLI:EU:T:2024:375
Date: 2024-06-12
Language of the case: English
Court formation: Third Chamber
Subject matter: Trade marks;Intellectual, industrial and commercial property
Procedure: Action for annulment - successful
Origin: Netherlands

Judgment of the General Court (Third Chamber) of 12 June 2024 – Amstel Brouwerij v EUIPO – Anheuser-Busch (ULTRA) (Case T‑170/23) (1) ( EU trade mark – Invalidity proceedings – EU figurative mark ULTRA – Absolute ground for invalidity – No distinctive character – Article 7(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 40/94 (now Article 7(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001) – EUIPO’s Guidelines for examination ) 1. EU trade mark – Procedural provisions – Examination of the facts of EUIPO’s own motion – Invalidity proceedings concerning absolute grounds for refusal – Examination restricted to the facts, evidence and arguments provided – Well-known facts taken into account (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Arts 7, 59 and 95(1)) (see paragraphs 17-19) 2. EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks devoid of any distinctive character – Concept of distinctiveness (Council Regulation No 40/94, Arts 7(1)(b) and 51(1)(a)) (see paragraphs 32, 33) 3. EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks devoid of any distinctive character – Assessment of distinctive character – Criteria (Council Regulation No 40/94, Arts 7(1)(b) and 51(1)(a)) (see paragraph 34) 4. EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks devoid of any distinctive character – Marks consisting of advertising slogans – Distinctive character – Criteria for assessment (Council Regulation No 40/94, Arts 7(1)(b) and 51(1)(a)) (see paragraphs 36, 37) 5. EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Registration contrary to Article 7 of Regulation No 40/94 – Relevant date for the examination of an absolute ground for invalidity – Date of filing of the application for registration (Council Regulation No 40/94, Arts 7(1)(b) and 51(1)(a)) (see paragraphs 39, 45) 6. EU trade mark – Proceedings before the EUIPO authorities – Directives of the EUIPO – Scope (see paragraph 41) 7. EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks devoid of any distinctive character – ULTRA Figurative mark ULTRA (Council Regulation No 40/94, Arts 7(1)(b) and 51(1)(a)) (see paragraphs 49, 50, 55, 57, 58) Operative part The Court: 1. Annuls the decision of the Fifth Board of Appeal of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) of 24 January 2023 (Case R 2088/2021-5); 2. Orders EUIPO to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by Amstel Brouwerij BV; 3. Orders Anheuser-Busch LLC to pay its own costs. 1 OJ C 179, 22.5.2023.