Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Tenth Chamber) of 2 February 2022 –  
Maternus v EUIPO – adp Gauselmann (WILD)

(Case T‑116/21)

(EU trade mark – Invalidity proceedings – EU word mark WILD – Absolute ground for refusal – Descriptive character – Article 52(1)(a) and Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 59(1)(a) and Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001))

| 1. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – 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  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 7(1)(c), and 52(1)(a))  (see paras 20, 50) |

| 2. | 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  (Art. 296 TFEU; European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 94(1), first sentence)  (see para. 21) |

| 3. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks composed exclusively of signs or indications capable of designating the characteristics of a product or service – Word mark WILD  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 7(1)(c), and 52(1)(a))  (see paras 27, 36, 41, 46, 53, 54, 58) |

| 4. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Registration contrary to Article 7 of Regulation No 207/2009 – Relevant date for the examination of an absolute ground for nullity – Date of lodging the application for registration  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 7 and 52(1)(a))  (see para. 38) |

| 5. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks composed exclusively of signs or indications capable of designating the characteristics of a product or service – Concept of characteristic  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 7(1)(c), and 52(1)(a))  (see para. 45) |

| 6. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks composed exclusively of signs or indications capable of designating the characteristics of a product or service – Existence of other signs or indications to designate the same characteristics – Irrelevant  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 7(1)(c), and 52(1)(a))  (see para. 47) |

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the First Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 9 December 2020 (Case R 932/2019-1), relating to invalidity proceedings between adp Gauselmann and Maternus.

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders Maternus GmbH to pay the costs. |

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