62021TJ0487(01)_INF
Judgment of the General Court (Second Chamber, Extended Composition) of 17 December 2025 – Neoperl v EUIPO (Representation of a cylindrical sanitary insert)
(Case T‑487/21 RENV)
(EU trade mark – Application for an EU trade mark representing a cylindrical sanitary insert – Tactile position mark – Absolute ground for refusal – No distinctive character – Article 7(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 – Obligation to state reasons – Article 94(1) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001 – Examination of the facts by EUIPO of its own motion – Article 95 of Regulation 2017/1001)
1.
EU trade mark – Procedural provisions – Statement of reasons for decisions – First sentence of Article 94(1) of Regulation 2017/1001 – Scope identical to that of Article 296 TFEU – Essential procedural requirement
(Art. 296, second para., TFEU; European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 94(1), first sentence)
(see paragraphs 25, 26)
2.
EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Absolute grounds for refusal – Marks devoid of any distinctive character – Concept of distinctiveness
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(b))
(see paragraph 38)
3.
EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Absolute grounds for refusal – Marks devoid of any distinctive character – Assessment of distinctive character – Criteria
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(b))
(see paragraphs 39, 61, 69)
4.
EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Absolute grounds for refusal – Marks devoid of any distinctive character – Assessment of distinctive character – Sign being indistinguishable from the appearance of the product designated
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(b))
(see paragraphs 40-42)
5.
EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Absolute grounds for refusal – Marks devoid of any distinctive character – Tactile position mark representing a cylindrical sanitary insert
(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(b))
(see paragraphs 48, 50, 56, 64, 67, 68)
6.
EU trade mark – Procedural provisions – Examination of the facts of EUIPO’s own motion – Duty of diligence
(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 95(1))
(see paragraph 73)
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Dismisses the action;
2.
Orders Neoperl AG to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) before the Court of Justice in Case C‑93/23 P and before the General Court in Cases T‑487/21 and T‑487/21 RENV.