Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Fifth Chamber) of 13 July 2022 –  
Brand Energy Holdings v EUIPO (RAPIDGUARD)

(Case T‑573/21) (
[1](#t-ECR_62021TJ0573_INF_EN_01-E0001)
)

(EU trade mark – Application for EU word mark RAPIDGUARD – Absolute ground for refusal – Descriptive character – Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001 – No distinctive character – Article 7(1)(b) of Regulation 2017/1001 – Right to be heard)

| 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 – Sign capable of having several meanings – Refusal of registration given the descriptive character of at least one of the potential meanings  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paragraphs 32, 33) |

| 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 – Mark composed of a word or neologism resulting from a combination of elements  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paragraphs 37, 39, 40) |

| 3. | EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Absolute grounds for refusal – Separate examination of the grounds for refusal in relation to each of the goods 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 paragraphs 46, 47) |

| 4. | EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Application for registration of a sign for all the goods or services falling within the same category – Assessment of the descriptiveness of the sign concerning all the goods or services  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paragraph 48) |

| 5. | 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 RAPIDGUARD  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paragraphs 52, 57-59, 61-64, 74) |

| 6. | 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 2017/1001 – Whether sufficient  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1))  (see paragraphs 70-72) |

| 7. | EU trade mark – Decisions of EUIPO – Observance of the rights of the defence – Scope of the principle  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 94(1), second sentence)  (see paragraph 78) |

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders Brand Energy Holdings BV to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). |

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(
[1](#c-ECR_62021TJ0573_INF_EN_01-E0001)
) [OJ C 431, 25.10.2021](./../../../legal-content/EN/AUTO/?uri=OJ:C:2021:431:TOC).

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