Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Sixth Chamber) of 8 May 2019 –  
Battelle Memorial Institute v EUIPO (HEATCOAT)

(Case T‑469/18)

(EU trade mark — Application for the EU word mark HEATCOAT — Absolute ground for refusal — Descriptiveness — Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001 — Equal treatment — Principle of sound administration)

| 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  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see para. 18) |

| 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 — Meaning  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see para. 19) |

| 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  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paras 20, 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 — Word mark HEATCOAT  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paras 22-24, 30, 36) |

| 5. | EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark — Refusal to register 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. 44) |

| 6. | EU trade mark — Decisions of EUIPO — 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  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001)  (see paras 48-50) |

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the Second Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 16 May 2018 (Case R 36/2018-2), relating to an application for registration of the word sign HEATCOAT as an EU trade mark.

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders Battelle Memorial Institute to pay the costs. |

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