Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Second Chamber) of 9 March 2022 –  
Stryker v EUIPO (RUGGED)

(Case T‑204/21) (
[1](#t-ECR_62021TJ0204_INF_EN_01-E0001)
)

(EU trade mark – International registration designating the European Union – Word mark RUGGED – Absolute ground for refusal – No distinctive character acquired through use – Article 7(3) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 7(3) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001) – Competence of the Board of Appeal – Article 71 of Regulation 2017/1001 – Obligation to state reasons – Article 94(1) of Regulation 2017/1001)

| 1. | EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Absolute grounds for refusal – Marks devoid of distinctive character – Exception – Distinctive character acquired through use – Criteria for assessment  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(b) and (c) and (3))  (see paras 29, 31, 39, 40) |

| 2. | EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Absolute grounds for refusal – Marks devoid of distinctive character – Distinctive character not acquired through use – Word mark RUGGED  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(3))  (see paras 47, 54-58) |

| 3. | 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 procedural requirement  (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 62, 63) |

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Stryker Corp. is to pay the costs. |

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(
[1](#c-ECR_62021TJ0204_INF_EN_01-E0001)
) [OJ C 217, 7.6.2021](./../../../legal-content/EN/AUTO/?uri=OJ:C:2021:217:TOC).

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