Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Second Chamber) of 6 September 2023 –  
Team Beverage v EUIPO (TEAM BUSINESS IT DATEN – PROZESSE – SYSTEME)

(Case T‑786/21) (
[1](#t-ECR_62021TJ0786_INF_EN_01-E0001)
)

(EU trade mark – Application for EU figurative mark TEAM BUSINESS IT DATEN – PROZESSE – SYSTEME – 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 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, 17) |

| 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 – Assessment of the descriptive character of a sign – Criteria  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paragraphs 18-20, 46, 59, 60) |

| 3. | 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 – Figurative mark TEAM BUSINESS IT DATEN – PROZESSE – SYSTEME  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paragraphs 42, 53, 62) |

| 4. | EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Absolute grounds for refusal – Separate examination of the grounds for refusal in relation 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 paragraph 47) |

| 5. | EU trade mark – Decisions of EUIPO – Legality – Examination by the EU judicature – Criteria  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001)  (see paragraph 66) |

| 6. | 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 2017/1001)  (see paragraph 69) |

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders Team Beverage AG to pay the costs. |

---

(
[1](#c-ECR_62021TJ0786_INF_EN_01-E0001)
) [OJ C 73, 14.2.2022](./../../../legal-content/EN/AUTO/?uri=OJ:C:2022:073:TOC).

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