Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Ninth Chamber) of 8 September 2016 —

Dr Vita v EUIPO (69)

(Case T‑360/15)

‛EU trade mark — Application for EU figurative mark 69 — Absolute ground for refusal — Descriptive character — Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation (EC) 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. 12) |

| 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 13, 14, 26) |

| 3. | EU trade mark — Decisions of the Office — Principle of equal treatment — Principle of sound administration — EUIPO’s previous decision-making practice — Principle of legality (see para. 30) |

| 4. | EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark — Refusal of registration based on one of the absolute grounds for refusal set out in Article 7(1) of Regulation No 207/2009 — Whether sufficient (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)) (see para. 33) |

| 5. | EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark — Absolute grounds for refusal — Overlap between the scope of the grounds for refusal set out in subparagraphs (b) and (c) of Article 7(1) of Regulation No 207/2009 (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(b) and (c)) (see para. 35) |

Re:

ACTION brought against the decision of the Fifth Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 1 April 2015 (Case R 2513/2014-5), relating to an application for registration of the figurative sign 69 as an EU trade mark.

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders Dr Vita sp. z o.o. to pay the costs. |

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