Information;Judgment — ECLI:EU:T:2021:212
Date: 2021-04-21
Language of the case: German
Subject matter: Trade marks;Intellectual, industrial and commercial property
Procedure: Action for annulment - unfounded
Origin: Germany

Judgment of the General Court of 21 April 2021 – Apologistics v EUIPO – Kerckhoff (APO) (Case T-282/20) 1 (EU trade mark – Invalidity proceedings – EU word mark APO – Absolute grounds for refusal – Descriptiveness – Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001) – Lack of distinctiveness – Article 7(1)(b) of Regulation No 207/2009 (now Article 7(1)(b) of Regulation 2017/1001)) Language of the case: German Parties Applicant: Apologistics GmbH (Markkleeberg, Germany) (represented by: H. Hug and S. Schreiber, lawyers) Defendant: European Union Intellectual Property Office (represented by: M. Eberl and A. Söder, acting as Agents) Other party to the proceedings before the Board of Appeal of EUIPO, intervener before the General Court: Markus Kerckhoff (Bergisch Gladbach, Germany) (represented by: M. Douglas, lawyer) Re: Action brought against the decision of the Fifth Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 25 February 2020 (Case R 982/2019-5), concerning invalidity proceedings between M. Kerckhoff and Apologistics. Operative part of the judgment The Court: Dismisses the action; Orders Apologistics GmbH to pay the costs. ____________ 1 OJ C 215, 29.6.2020.