Judgment of the General Court (Fourth Chamber) of 11 July 2019 –Hauzenberger v EUIPO (TurboPerformance)
(Case T‑349/18)
(EU trade mark — Application for EU figurative mark TurboPerformance — Absolute ground for refusal — Descriptive character — Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001)
1.      Judicial proceedings — Application initiating proceedings — Formal requirements — Brief summary of the pleas in law on which the application is based — Pleas in law not set out in the application — Reference to elements in an annex — Inadmissibility
(Statute of the Court of Justice, Arts 21 and 53, 1st
para.; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Arts 76(d), 171 and 177(1))
(see para. 11)
2.      EU trade mark — Appeals procedure — Action before the EU judicature — Jurisdiction of the General Court — Re-evaluation of the facts in the light of evidence produced for the first time before it –Precluded
(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 72)
(see para. 13)
3.      EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark — Absolute grounds for refusal — Marks composed exclusively of signs or indications capable of designating the characteristics of a product or service — Concept — Mark composed of a word or neologism resulting from a combination of elements
(European Parliament and Council Regulation No 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))
(see paras 22-29)
4.      EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark — Absolute grounds for refusal — Marks composed exclusively of signs or indications capable of designating the characteristics of a product or service — Assessment of the descriptive nature of a sign — Criteria
(European Parliament and Council Regulation No 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))
(see para. 30)
5.      EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark — Absolute grounds for refusal — Marks composed exclusively of signs or indications capable of designating the characteristics of a product or service — Figurative mark TurboPerformance
(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))
(see paras 40-45, 47, 58, 59, 62)
6.      EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark — Absolute grounds for refusal — Examination of the grounds for refusal having regard to each of the products or services covered by the application for registration — Obligation to state the reasons for refusing to register — Scope
(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Arts 7(1) and 94, first sentence)
(see paras 50-57)
7.      EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark — Refusal of registration based on one of the absolute grounds for refusal set out in Article 7(1) of Regulation 2017/1001 — Whether sufficient
(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1))
(see para. 66)
Re:
Action brought against the decision of the Fourth Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 5 April 2018 (Case R 2206/2017-4) concerning an application for registration of the figurative sign TurboPerformance as an EU trade mark.
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Dismisses the action;
2.
Orders Mr Andreas Hauzenberger to pay the costs.