Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (First Chamber) of 28 June 2017 —  
X-cen-tek v EUIPO (Representation of a triangle)

(Case T‑470/16)

(EU trade mark — Application for an EU figurative mark representing a triangle — Absolute ground for refusal — Lack of distinctive character — Article 7(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009)

| 1. | EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark — Absolute grounds for refusal — Marks devoid of any distinctive character — Concept — Criteria for assessment  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(b))  (see paras 14-16) |

| 2. | EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark — Absolute grounds for refusal — Marks devoid of any distinctive character — Recognition of the distinctiveness of the sign not subject to a finding of a certain level of creativity or linguistic or artistic imagination — Mark fulfilling a decorative or ornamental function — Irrelevant  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(b))  (see paras 23-25) |

| 3. | EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark — Absolute grounds for refusal — Marks devoid of any distinctive character — Figurative mark representing a triangle  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(b))  (see paras 26, 27, 44) |

| 4. | EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark — Assessment of the registrability of a sign — EU rules only taken into account — Earlier registration of the mark in certain Member States or third countries — Decisions not binding EU bodies  (Council Regulation No 207/2009)  (see para. 46) |

| 5. | EU trade mark — Procedural provisions — Statement of reasons for decisions — Article 75, first sentence, of Regulation No 207/2009 — Scope identical to that of Article 296 TFEU — Essential formality  (Art. 296 TFEU; Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 75, first sentence)  (see para. 54) |

| 6. | EU trade mark — Appeals procedure — Action before the EU judicature — Interest in bringing proceedings — Plea based on infringement of essential procedural requirements — Circumscribed powers of the Office — No interest  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 65)  (see para. 55) |

Re:

ACTION brought against the decision of the Fourth Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 17 June 2016 (Case R 2565/2015-4), concerning an application for registration of a figurative sign representing a triangle as an EU trade mark.

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders X-cen-tek GmbH & Co. KG to pay the costs. |

[Top](#document1)