Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Seventh Chamber) of 13 July 2017 — Ecolab USA v EUIPO (ECOLAB)

(Case T‑150/16)

(EU trade mark — International registration designating the European Union — Word mark ECOLAB — Absolute ground for refusal — Descriptive character — Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 — Equal treatment — Obligation to state reasons — Article 75 of Regulation No 207/2009)

| 1. | 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. 23) |

| 2. | 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  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paras 24, 25) |

| 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 — Assessment of the descriptive nature of a sign — Criteria  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paras 26-28) |

| 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 — Word mark ECOLAB  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paras 31, 34, 40, 44) |

| 5. | EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark — Assessment of the registrability of a sign — EU rules only taken into account — Earlier registration of the mark in certain Member States or third countries — Decisions not binding EU bodies  (Council Regulation No 207/2009)  (see para. 43) |

| 6. | EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark — Absolute grounds for refusal — Trade marks which are devoid of distinctive character, descriptive or commonplace — Exception — Distinctive character acquired through use — Criteria for assessment  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(3))  (see paras 50-52) |

| 7. | EU trade mark — Decisions of the Office — Legality — EUIPO’s previous decision-making practice  (Council Regulation No 207/2009)  (see para. 57) |

| 8. | EU trade mark — Decisions of the Office — Principle of equal treatment — Principle of sound administration — EUIPO’s previous decision-making practice — Principle of legality — Need for a strict and complete examination in each particular case  (Council Regulation No 207/2009)  (see paras 58, 61) |

| 9. | EU trade mark — Procedural provisions — Statement of reasons for decisions — Article 75, first sentence, of Regulation No 207/2009 — Scope identical to that of Article 296 TFEU  (Art. 296 TFEU; Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 75, first sentence)  (see paras 65, 66, 70) |

Re:

ACTION brought against the decision of the Fourth Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 26 January 2016 (Case R 644/2015-4) relating to the international registration designating the European Union in respect of the word mark ECOLAB.

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders Ecolab USA, Inc. to pay the costs. |

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