Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Tenth Chamber) of 17 March 2021 –  
Steinel v EUIPO (MobileHeat)

(Case T‑226/20)

(EU trade mark – Application for the EU word mark MobileHeat – Absolute ground for refusal – Descriptive nature – Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001)

| 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. 15) |

| 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 – Definition  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paras 16, 24) |

| 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 17, 18) |

| 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 MobileHeat  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paras 23, 26, 28, 29, 32-35, 39-42) |

| 5. | EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Absolute grounds for refusal – Examination of the grounds for refusal having regard to each of the products or services covered by the application for registration – Obligation to state the reasons for refusing to register – Scope  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Arts 7(1) and 94(1), first sentence)  (see para. 44) |

| 6. | EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Absolute grounds for refusal – Overlap of the scope of the grounds set out in Article 7(1)(b) and (c) of Regulation 2017/1001  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(b) and (c))  (see paras 50, 51) |

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the Second Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 3 February 2020 (Case R 2472/2019-2) concerning an application for registration of the word sign MobileHeat as an EU trade mark.

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders Steinel GmbH to pay the costs. |

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