Judgment of the General Court (Seventh Chamber) of 25 January 2018 — Grupo Ganaderos de Fuerteventura v EUIPO (EL TOFIO El sabor de CANARIAS)
(Case T‑765/16)
(EU trade mark — Application for the EU figurative mark EL TOFIO El sabor de CANARIAS — 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))
1.      EU trade mark — Appeals procedure — Action before the EU judicature — Jurisdiction of the General Court — Review of the lawfulness of decisions of the Boards of Appeal — Annulment or variation for reasons appearing after judgment was delivered — Not included
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 65(2))
(see para. 14)
2.      EU trade mark — Appeals procedure — Action before the EU judicature — Limitation of the list of products and services after the decision of the Board of Appeal — Consequences
(Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 188; Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 43(1))
(see paras 17-20)
3.      EU trade mark — Appeals procedure — Action before the EU judicature — Jurisdiction of the General Court — Amendment of a decision by the Office — Assessment having regard to the competences conferred on the Board of Appeal
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 45, 64(1) and 65(3))
(see paras 26, 27)
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 — Aim — Need to preserve availability
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(c))
(see para. 34)
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 — Meaning
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(c))
(see paras 35, 36)
6.      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 — Criteria
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(c))
(see paras 37-39)
7.      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 EL TOFIO El sabor de CANARIAS
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(c))
(see paras 48-50)
Re:
ACTION brought against the decision of the Fifth Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 28 July 2016 (Case R 1404/2015-5), concerning an application for registration of the figurative sign EL TOFIO El sabor de CANARIAS as an EU trade mark.
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Annuls the decision of the Fifth Board of Appeal of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) of 28 July 2016 (Case R 1404/2015-5);
2.
Dismisses the action as to the remainder;
3.
Orders EUIPO to bear its own costs and to pay the costs incurred by Grupo Ganaderos de Fuerteventura, SL.