Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Ninth Chamber) of 14 July 2021 –  
Upper Echelon Products v EUIPO (Everlasting Comfort)

(Case T‑562/20)

(EU trade mark – International registration designating the European Union – Word mark Everlasting Comfort – Absolute ground for refusal – Descriptive character – 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 which may serve to designate the characteristics of goods – Meaning  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paras 28, 30) |

| 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 – Aim – Need to preserve availability  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see para. 29) |

| 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  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see para. 31) |

| 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 EVERLASTING COMFORT  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paras 33-35, 42, 43, 48-51) |

| 5. | EU trade mark – Decisions of EUIPO – Principle of equal treatment – Principle of sound administration – EUIPO’s previous decision-making practice – Principle of legality  (European Parliament and Council Regulation No 2017/1001)  (see paras 56, 57) |

| 6. | EU trade mark – Procedural provisions – Statement of reasons for decisions – First sentence of Article 94(1) of Regulation 2017/1001 – Scope identical to that of Article 296 TFEU – Essential formality  (Art. 296 TFEU; Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 41(2); Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council 2017/1001, Art. 94(1), first sentence)  (see paras 65, 66) |

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the First Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 14 July 2020 (Case R 952/2020-1) relating to the international registration designating the European Union in respect of the word mark Everlasting Comfort.

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders Upper Echelon Products LLC to pay the costs. |

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