Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Fourth Chamber) of 11 July 2019 –  
Hauzenberger v EUIPO (TurboPerformance)

(Case T‑349/18)

(EU trade mark — Application for EU figurative mark TurboPerformance — Absolute ground for refusal — Descriptive character — Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001)

| 1. | Judicial proceedings — Application initiating proceedings — Formal requirements — Brief summary of the pleas in law on which the application is based — Pleas in law not set out in the application — Reference to elements in an annex — Inadmissibility  (Statute of the Court of Justice, Arts 21 and 53, 1st para.; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Arts 76(d), 171 and 177(1))  (see para. 11) |

| 2. | EU trade mark — Appeals procedure — Action before the EU judicature — Jurisdiction of the General Court — Re-evaluation of the facts in the light of evidence produced for the first time before it –Precluded  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 72)  (see para. 13) |

| 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 — Concept — Mark composed of a word or neologism resulting from a combination of elements  (European Parliament and Council Regulation No 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paras 22-29) |

| 4. | 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 No 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see para. 30) |

| 5. | 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 TurboPerformance  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paras 40-45, 47, 58, 59, 62) |

| 6. | EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark — Absolute grounds for refusal — Examination of the grounds for refusal having regard to each of the products 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, first sentence)  (see paras 50-57) |

| 7. | EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark — Refusal of registration based on one of the absolute grounds for refusal set out in Article 7(1) of Regulation 2017/1001 — Whether sufficient  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1))  (see para. 66) |

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the Fourth Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 5 April 2018 (Case R 2206/2017-4) concerning an application for registration of the figurative sign TurboPerformance as an EU trade mark.

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders Mr Andreas Hauzenberger to pay the costs. |

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