Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Order of the General Court (Second Chamber) of 23 August 2023 –  
Nienaber v EUIPO (BoneKare)

(Case T‑610/22) (
[1](#t-ECR_62022TO0610_INF_EN_01-E0001)
)

(EU trade mark – Application for EU word mark BoneKare – Absolute grounds for refusal – Descriptive character – No distinctive character – Article 7(1)(b) and (c) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001 – Action manifestly lacking any foundation in law)

| 1. | EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Absolute grounds for refusal – Marks consisting exclusively of signs or indications which may serve to designate the characteristics of a product or service – Concept  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paragraphs 16-20, 26) |

| 2. | EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Absolute grounds for refusal – Marks consisting exclusively of signs or indications which may serve to designate the characteristics of a product or service – Word mark BoneKare  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paragraphs 27-30, 35, 39, 40) |

| 3. | EU trade mark – Decisions of EUIPO – EUIPO’s previous decision-making practice – Principle of legality – Need for a stringent and full examination in each individual case  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001)  (see paragraph 41) |

| 4. | EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Absolute grounds for refusal – Descriptive character of a sign – Circumstance necessarily implying absence of distinctive character of the sign  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(b) and (c))  (see paragraph 49) |

Operative part

| 1. | The action is dismissed. |

| 2. | Ms Jannah Nienaber and Mr Andreas Nienaber shall bear their own costs. |

| 3. | The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) shall bear its own costs. |

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(
[1](#c-ECR_62022TO0610_INF_EN_01-E0001)
) [OJ 441, 21.11.2022](./../../../legal-content/EN/AUTO/?uri=OJ:X:2022:441:TOC).

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