Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Tenth Chamber) of 28 April 2021 –  
Repower v EUIPO – repowermap.org (REPOWER)

(Case T‑842/16)

(EU trade mark – Invalidity proceedings – International registration designating the European Union – Word mark REPOWER – Absolute ground for invalidity – Descriptive character – Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001) – Obligation to state reasons – Article 75 of Regulation No 207/2009 (now Article 94 of Regulation 2017/1001))

| 1. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks composed exclusively of signs or indications capable of designating the characteristics of a product or service – Definition  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 7(1)(c), and 52(1)(a))  (see paras 26, 28-40, 44, 45) |

| 2. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – 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, Arts 7(1)(c), and 52(1)(a))  (see para. 27) |

| 3. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks composed exclusively of signs or indications capable of designating the characteristics of a product or service – Word mark REPOWER  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paras 68-70) |

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the Fifth Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 26 September 2016 (Case R 2311/2014-5) relating to invalidity proceedings between repowermap.org and Repower.

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Annuls the decision of the Fifth Board of Appeal of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) of 26 September 2016 (Case R 2311/2014-5) in so far as the application for a declaration of invalidity has been upheld in respect of voice tubes in Class 9; |

| 2. | Dismisses the action for the remainder; |

| 3. | Orders Repower AG to bear, in addition to its own costs, those incurred by EUIPO and repowermap.org. |

[Top](#document1)