Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (First Chamber) of 29 March 2023 –  
celotec v EUIPO – Decotec Printing (DECOTEC)

(Case T‑308/22) (
[1](#t-ECR_62022TJ0308_INF_EN_01-E0001)
)

(EU trade mark – Invalidity proceedings – EU word mark DECOTEC – Absolute ground for invalidity – Lack of 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 – Procedural provisions – Statement of reasons for decisions – Article 94(1), first sentence, of Regulation 2017/1001 – Scope identical to that of Article 296 TFEU – Recourse by the Board of Appeal to implicit reasoning – Whether permissible – Conditions  (Art. 296 TFEU; European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 94(1), first sentence)  (see paragraphs 19, 20, 64) |

| 2. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks consisting exclusively of signs or indications which may serve to designate the characteristics of a product or service – Aim – Need to preserve availability  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 7(1)(c) and 52(1)(a))  (see paragraph 29) |

| 3. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks consisting exclusively of signs or indications which may serve to designate the characteristics of a product or service – Definition – Mark consisting of a word or neologism produced by a combination of elements  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 7(1)(c) and 52(1)(a))  (see paragraphs 30-33) |

| 4. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Registration contrary to Article 7 of Regulation No 207/2009 – Relevant date for the examination of an absolute ground for invalidity – Date of filing of the application for registration – Taking into consideration of evidence subsequent to that date – Whether permissible – Condition  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 7 and 52(1)(a))  (see paragraph 34) |

| 5. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks consisting exclusively of signs or indications which may serve to designate the characteristics of a product or service – Word mark DECOTEC  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 7(1)(c) and 52(1)(a))  (see paragraphs 41, 44-46, 50, 54, 57, 61, 68) |

| 6. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks devoid of distinctive character – Definition – Criteria for assessment  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 7(1)(b) and 52(1)(a))  (see paragraph 73) |

| 7. | EU trade mark – Procedural provisions – Examination of the facts of EUIPO’s own motion – Invalidity proceedings concerning absolute grounds for refusal – Examination restricted to the submissions of the parties  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Arts 7, 59(1)(a) and 62)  (see paragraph 74) |

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders celotec GmbH & Co. KG to pay the costs. |

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(
[1](#c-ECR_62022TJ0308_INF_EN_01-E0001)
) [OJ C 266, 11.7.2022](./../../../legal-content/EN/AUTO/?uri=OJ:C:2022:266:TOC).

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