62021TJ0750_INF
Judgment of the General Court (First Chamber) of 22 March 2023 –Beauty Biosciences v EUIPO – Société de Recherche Cosmétique (BIO-BEAUTÉ)
(Case T‑750/21) (
1
)
(EU trade mark – Invalidity proceedings – EU word mark BIO-BEAUTÉ – 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) – No distinctive character – Article 7(1)(b) of Regulation No 207/2009 (now Article 7(1)(b) of Regulation 2017/1001) – Distinctive character acquired through use – Article 7(3) of Regulation No 207/2009 (now Article 7(3) of Regulation 2017/1001) – Article 52(1)(a) and (2) of Regulation No 207/2009 (now Article 59(1)(a) and (2) of Regulation 2017/1001) – Obligation to state reasons – Article 75, first sentence, of Regulation No 207/2009 (now Article 94(1), first sentence, of Regulation 2017/1001))
1.
EU trade mark – Procedural provisions – Statement of reasons for decisions – Article 94(1), first sentence, of Regulation 2017/1001 – Scope identical to that of Article 296 TFEU
(Art. 296 TFEU; European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 94(1), first sentence)
(see paragraphs 18, 19)
2.
EU trade mark – Appeals procedure – Action before the EU judicature – Power of the General Court to alter the contested decision – Limits
(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 72(3))
(see paragraph 29)
3.
EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks devoid of distinctive character – Exception – Distinctive character acquired through use – Criteria for assessment
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 7(3) and 52(2))
(see paragraphs 37-42, 52)
4.
EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks devoid of distinctive character – Exception – Distinctive character acquired through use – Burden of proof
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 7(3) and 52(2))
(see paragraph 43)
5.
EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks devoid of distinctive character – Exception – Distinctive character acquired through use – Trade mark devoid of distinctive character throughout the Union – Acquisition through use also throughout the Union
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 7(3) and 52(2))
(see paragraph 49)
6.
EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Registration contrary to Article 7(1)(b) and (c) of Regulation No 207/2009 – Exception – Distinctive character acquired through use – Word mark BIO-BEAUTÉ
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 7(1)(b) and (c), 7(3) and 52(2))
(see paragraphs 50, 58-61)
7.
EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks devoid of distinctive character – Exception – Distinctive character acquired through use – Evidential value of the evidence
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 7(3) and 52(2))
(see paragraph 57)
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Annuls the decision of the Fourth Board of Appeal of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) of 28 September 2021 (Joined Cases R 1871/2020-4 and R 1891/2020-4) in so far as it concerns ‘perfumes, toilet water, eau de Cologne; essential oils; incense, perfume water’ and ‘dentifrices’;
2.
Dismisses the action as to the remainder;
3.
Orders each party to bear its own costs incurred in the course of the proceedings before the General Court.
(
1
)	OJ C 51, 31.1.2022.