Judgment of the General Court (Eighth Chamber) of 16 October 2014 —
Larrañaga Otaño v OHIM (GRAPHENE)(Case T‑459/13)
Community trade mark — Application for Community word mark GRAPHENE — Absolute ground for refusal — Descriptive character — Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009
1.                     Community trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the Community trade mark — Absolute grounds for refusal — Marks composed exclusively of signs or indications which may serve to designate the characteristics of goods — Concept (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(c)) (see paras 16, 20)
2.                     Community trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the Community trade mark — Absolute grounds for refusal — Marks composed exclusively of signs or indications capable of designating the characteristics of a product or service — Aim — Need to preserve availability (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(c)) (see para. 18)
3.                     Community trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the Community trade mark — Absolute grounds for refusal — Marks composed exclusively of signs or indications which may serve to designate the characteristics of goods — Word mark GRAPHENE (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(c)) (see paras 19, 23, 24)
4.                     Community trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the Community trade mark — Absolute grounds for refusal — Separate examination of the grounds for refusal in relation to each of the goods or services covered by the application for registration — Obligation to state the reasons for refusing to register — Scope (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 7(1), and 75) (see para. 26)
5.                     Community trade mark — Decisions of the Office — Principle of equal treatment — Principle of sound administration — OHIM’s previous decision-making practice (Council Regulation No 207/2009) (see paras 35, 36)
Re:
ACTION brought against the decision of the Second Board of Appeal of OHIM of 12 June 2013 (Case R 210/2013-2) concerning an application for registration of the word sign GRAPHENE as a Community trade mark.
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Dismisses the action;
2.
Orders Joseba Larrañaga Otaño and Mikel Larrañaga Otaño to pay the costs.