Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Eighth Chamber) of 4 October 2018 –  
Lincoln Global v EUIPO (FLEXCUT)

(Case T‑736/17)

(EU trade mark — Application for EU word mark FLEXCUT — Absolute ground for refusal — Descriptiveness — Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now 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  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, 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 — Meaning — Mark composed of a word or neologism resulting from a combination of elements  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paras 16-19, 33) |

| 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  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paras 20, 40) |

| 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 FLEXCUT  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paras 24, 27-32, 34-39, 42-45, 50) |

| 5. | EU trade mark — Decisions of the Office — 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  (see paras 46-49) |

| 6. | EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark — Assessment of the registrability of a sign — EU rules only taken into account — Decisions of national authorities not binding EU bodies  (Council Regulation No 207/2009)  (see para. 51) |

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the Fourth Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 30 August 2017 (Case R 2225/2016-4), relating to the application for registration of the word sign FLEXCUT as an EU trade mark.

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders Lincoln Global, Inc., to pay the costs. |

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