Information;Order — ECLI:EU:T:2021:89
Date: 2021-02-12
Language of the case: German
Subject matter: Trade marks;Intellectual, industrial and commercial property
Procedure: Action for annulment - unfounded
Origin: Germany

Order of the General Court (Ninth Chamber) of 12 February 2021 – sprd.net v EUIPO – Shirtlabor (I love) (Case T‑19/20) (Action for annulment – EU trade mark – Invalidity proceedings – EU figurative mark I love – Absolute ground for refusal – Lack of distinctive character – Article 7(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 7(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001) – Trade mark consisting of an advertising slogan – Obligation to state reasons – Article 94(1) of Regulation 2017/1001 – Inapplicability of Article 16(1)(a) of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2018/625 – Admissibility of evidence – Article 97(1) of Regulation 2017/1001 – Impartiality – Article 95(1) of Regulation 2017/1001 – Action manifestly lacking any foundation in law) 1. EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks devoid of distinctive character – Concept – Criteria for assessment (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 7(1)(b) and 52(1)(a)) (see paras 24-27, 85, 86) 2. EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks devoid of distinctive character – Assessment of distinctive character – Criteria – Perception of the trade mark by the relevant public – Attention level of the public (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 7(1)(b) and 52(1)(a)) (see para. 28) 3. EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks devoid of distinctive character – Marks consisting of advertising slogans – Distinctive character – Application of specific criteria for assessment – Not permissible (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 7(1)(b) and 52(1)(a)) (see paras 29, 30) 4. EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks devoid of distinctive character – Marks consisting of advertising slogans – Distinctive character – Criteria for assessment (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 7(1)(b) and 52(1)(a)) (see paras 31-33) 5. EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks devoid of distinctive character – Figurative mark I love (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 7(1)(b) and 52(1)(a)) (see paras 37, 42, 62-64, 78, 82, 83) 6. 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 (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Arts 7, 59, 62 and 95(1)) (see paras 47, 48) 7. EU trade mark – Decisions of the Office – Principle of equal treatment – Principle of sound administration – EUIPO’s previous decision-making practice – Principle of legality – Need for a strict and complete examination in each particular case (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001) (see paras 92, 93) 8. EU trade mark – Procedural provisions – Statement of reasons for decisions – First sentence of Article 94(1) of Regulation 2017/1001 – Scope identical to that of Article 296 TFEU – Recourse by the Board of Appeal to implicit reasoning – Whether permissible – Conditions (Art. 296 TFEU; European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 94(1), first sentence) (see paras 108-110) 9. Acts of the institutions – Statement of reasons – Obligation – Scope – Plea alleging absence or inadequacy of the statement of reasons – Plea alleging lack of a basis of the statement of reasons – Distinction (Arts 256(1), second para., and 296 TFEU) (see para. 111) 10. Judicial proceedings – Proof – Probative value – Criteria for assessment – Principles of the unfettered adduction of evidence and the unfettered evaluation of evidence (Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 47; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 85) (see para. 123) 11. EU trade mark – Procedural provisions – Examination of the facts of EUIPO’s own motion – Invalidity proceedings concerning absolute grounds for refusal – Duty of diligence (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Arts 7, 59, 62 and 95(1)) (see para. 128) 12. EU trade mark – Procedural provisions – Examination of the facts of EUIPO’s own motion – Scope – No obligation to prove matters within common knowledge (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 95(1)) (see para. 130) 13. 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, 62 and 95(1)) (see para. 134) Re: Action brought against the decision of the Fifth Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 18 October 2019 (Case R 5/2019-5), relating to invalidity proceedings between Shirtlabor and sprd.net. Operative part 1. The action is dismissed. 2. sprd.net AG shall pay its own costs and the costs incurred by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). 3. Shirtlabor GmbH shall bear its own costs.