Order of the General Court (Second Chamber) of 23 August 2023 – Nienaber v EUIPO – St. Hippolyt Mühle Ebert (BoneKare)
(Case T‑609/22) (1)
(EU trade mark – Invalidity proceedings – EU word mark BoneKare – Absolute ground for invalidity – Descriptive character – Article 7(1)(c) and Article 52(1)(a) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 7(1)(c) and Article 59(1)(a) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001) – Examination of the facts of EUIPO’s own motion – 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 consisting exclusively of signs or indications which may serve to designate the characteristics of a product or service – Concept
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(c))
(see paragraphs 26-29)
2.      EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks consisting exclusively of signs or indications which may serve to designate the characteristics of a product or service – Word mark BoneKare
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(c))
(see paragraphs 34-38, 46, 47)
3.      EU trade mark – Decisions of EUIPO – EUIPO’s previous decision-making practice – Principle of legality – Need for a stringent and full examination in each individual case
(Council Regulation No 207/2009)
(see paragraph 44)
4.      EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Descriptive character of a sign – Circumstance necessarily implying absence of distinctive character of the sign
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(b) and (c))
(see paragraph 52)
5.      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 paragraphs 57-59)
6.      EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Registration contrary to Article 7 – Relevant date for the examination of an absolute ground for invalidity – Date of filing of the application for registration
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 7 and 52(1)(a))
(see paragraph 66)
Operative part
1.
The action is dismissed.
2.
Mr Andreas Nienaber shall bear his own costs and pay those incurred by St. Hippolyt Mühle Ebert GmbH.
3.
The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) shall bear its own costs.
1 OJ C 441, 21.11.2022.