Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (First Chamber) of 17 May 2023 –  
moderne Stadt v EUIPO (DEUTZER HAFEN KÖLN)

(Case T‑657/22) (
[1](#t-ECR_62022TJ0657_INF_EN_01-E0001)
)

(EU trade mark – Application for EU word mark DEUTZER HAFEN KÖLN – Absolute ground for refusal – Descriptive character – Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001 – Equality of treatment)

| 1. | EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Absolute grounds for refusal – Marks consisting exclusively of signs or indications which may serve to designate the characteristics of a product or service – Assessment of the descriptive character of a sign – Criteria  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paragraphs 14-17) |

| 2. | EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Absolute grounds for refusal – Marks consisting exclusively of signs or indications which may serve to designate the characteristics of a product or service – Assessment of the descriptive character of a sign – Geographical names  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paragraphs 18-20) |

| 3. | EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Absolute grounds for refusal – Marks consisting exclusively of signs or indications which may serve to designate the characteristics of a product or service – Word mark DEUTZER HAFEN KÖLN  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paragraphs 24, 32-36) |

| 4. | EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Absolute grounds for refusal – Marks consisting exclusively of signs or indications which may serve to designate the characteristics of a product or service – Concept – Neologism consisting of elements descriptive of characteristics of the goods or services concerned – Whether included where the nature of the combination is not unusual  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paragraphs 30, 31) |

| 5. | EU trade mark – Decisions of EUIPO – Principle of equal treatment – Principle of sound administration – EUIPO’s previous decision-making practice – Principle of legality – Need for a stringent and full examination in each individual case  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001)  (see paragraph 45) |

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders moderne Stadt Gesellschaft zur Förderung des Städtebaues und der Gemeindeentwicklung mbH and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) to bear their own respective costs. |

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(
[1](#c-ECR_62022TJ0657_INF_EN_01-E0001)
) [OJ C 472, 12.12.2022](./../../../legal-content/EN/AUTO/?uri=OJ:C:2022:472:TOC).

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