Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Ninth Chamber) of 19 December 2019 –  
Südwestdeutsche Salzwerke v EUIPO (Bad Reichenhaller Alpensaline)

(Case T‑69/19)

(EU trade mark — Application for EU figurative mark Bad Reichenhaller Alpensaline — 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 capable of designating the characteristics of a product or service — Concept of characteristic  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paras 13-15) |

| 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 22, 23) |

| 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 — Figurative mark Bad Reichenhaller Alpensaline  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paras 46, 48, 52, 53, 68, 69) |

| 4. | EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark — Application for registration of a sign for all the goods or services falling within the same category — Lack of distinctive character in relation only to certain products falling within that category not precluding recognition of lack of distinctiveness of the sign in relation to products in that category as a whole  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see para. 65) |

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the First Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 4 December 2018 (Case R 412/2018-1) relating to an application for registration of the figurative sign Bad Reichenhaller Alpensaline as an EU trade mark.

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | dismisses the action; |

| 2. | orders Südwestdeutsche Salzwerke AG to pay the costs. |

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