Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Seventh Chamber) of 25 January 2018 — Grupo Ganaderos de Fuerteventura v EUIPO (EL TOFIO El sabor de CANARIAS)

(Case T‑765/16)

(EU trade mark — Application for the EU figurative mark EL TOFIO El sabor de CANARIAS — Absolute grounds 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—Appeals procedure—Action before the EU judicature—Jurisdiction of the General Court—Review of the lawfulness of decisions of the Boards of Appeal—Annulment or variation for reasons appearing after judgment was delivered—Not included  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 65(2))  (see para. 14) |

| 2. | EU trade mark—Appeals procedure—Action before the EU judicature—Limitation of the list of products and services after the decision of the Board of Appeal—Consequences  (Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 188; Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 43(1))  (see paras 17-20) |

| 3. | EU trade mark—Appeals procedure—Action before the EU judicature—Jurisdiction of the General Court—Amendment of a decision by the Office—Assessment having regard to the competences conferred on the Board of Appeal  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 45, 64(1) and 65(3))  (see paras 26, 27) |

| 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—Aim—Need to preserve availability  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see para. 34) |

| 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—Meaning  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paras 35, 36) |

| 6. | 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—Criteria  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paras 37-39) |

| 7. | 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—Figurative mark EL TOFIO El sabor de CANARIAS  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paras 48-50) |

Re:

ACTION brought against the decision of the Fifth Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 28 July 2016 (Case R 1404/2015-5), concerning an application for registration of the figurative sign EL TOFIO El sabor de CANARIAS as an EU trade mark.

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Annuls the decision of the Fifth Board of Appeal of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) of 28 July 2016 (Case R 1404/2015-5); |

| 2. | Dismisses the action as to the remainder; |

| 3. | Orders EUIPO to bear its own costs and to pay the costs incurred by Grupo Ganaderos de Fuerteventura, SL. |

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