Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Third Chamber) of 8 June 2022 –  
Vitronic v EUIPO (Enforcement Trailer)

(Case T‑433/21) (
[1](#t-ECR_62021TJ0433_INF_EN_01-E0001)
)

(EU trade mark – Application for EU word mark Enforcement Trailer – Absolute grounds for refusal – Descriptive character – Article 7(1)(b) and (c) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001 – Article 7(2) of Regulation 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  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see para. 19) |

| 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 – Assessment of the descriptive nature of a sign – Criteria  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paras 20, 21, 33, 50, 59, 60) |

| 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 – Word mark Enforcement Trailer  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paras 31, 36, 48, 67, 70, 73) |

| 4. | EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Absolute grounds for refusal – Examination of the grounds for refusal having regard 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 paras 43-45) |

| 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 No 2017/1001)  (see para. 63) |

| 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 para. 74) |

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders Vitronic Dr.-Ing. Stein Bildverarbeitungssysteme GmbH to pay the costs. |

---

(
[1](#c-ECR_62021TJ0433_INF_EN_01-E0001)
) [OJ C 357, 6.9.2021](./../../../legal-content/EN/AUTO/?uri=OJ:C:2021:357:TOC).

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