Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Tenth Chamber) of 26 March 2020 –  
Muratbey Gida v EUIPO (Shape of a twisted cheese)

(Case T‑570/19)

(EU trade mark — Application for a three-dimensional EU trade mark — Shape of a twisted cheese — Absolute ground for refusal — No distinctive character — Article 7(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001)

| 1. | EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark — Absolute grounds for refusal — Marks devoid of distinctive character — Meaning — Criteria for assessment  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(b))  (see paras 12, 13) |

| 2. | EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark — Absolute grounds for refusal — Marks devoid of distinctive character — Assessment of distinctive character — Criteria — Perception of the trade mark by the relevant public  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(b))  (see para. 16) |

| 3. | EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark — Absolute grounds for refusal — Marks devoid of distinctive character — Three-dimensional trade marks consisting of the shape of the product itself — Distinctive character — Criteria for assessment  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(b))  (see paras 18, 19, 21, 33) |

| 4. | EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark — Absolute grounds for refusal — Marks devoid of distinctive character — Three-dimensional mark consisting of the shape of a twisted cheese  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(b))  (see paras 23, 29, 32, 34) |

| 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  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001)  (see paras 40, 41) |

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the Fourth Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 13 June 2019 (Case R 106/2019-4) relating to an application for registration of a three-dimensional sign consisting of the shape of a twisted cheese as an EU trade mark.

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders Muratbey Gida Sanayi ve Ticaret AŞ to pay the costs. |

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