Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Order of the General Court (Third Chamber) of 16 December 2022 –  
EMS v EUIPO (AIRFLOW)

(Case T‑751/21) (
[1](#t-ECR_62021TO0751_INF_EN_01-E0001)
)

(Action for annulment – EU trade mark – International registration designating the European Union – Word mark AIRFLOW – Absolute grounds for refusal – Lack of distinctive character – Descriptive character – Article 7(1)(b) and (c) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001 – Action manifestly lacking any foundation in law)

| 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 – Definition  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paragraphs 21, 23, 28, 34, 37, 65) |

| 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 paragraph 22) |

| 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 – Word mark AIRFLOW  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paragraphs 31, 35, 36, 38) |

| 4. | EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Absolute grounds for refusal – Overlap of the scope of the grounds set out in Article 7(1)(b) and Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation 2017/1001  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(b) and (c))  (see paragraphs 43, 44) |

| 5. | 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 – Recourse by the Board of Appeal to implicit reasoning – Whether permissible – Conditions  (Art. 296 TFEU; Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 41(2); European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 94(1), first sentence)  (see paragraphs 49-51) |

Operative part

| 1. | The action is dismissed. |

| 2. | EMS Electro Medical Systems GmbH shall pay the costs. |

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(
[1](#c-ECR_62021TO0751_INF_EN_01-E0001)
) [OJ C 64, 7.2.2022](./../../../legal-content/EN/AUTO/?uri=OJ:C:2022:064:TOC).

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