Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (First Chamber) of 8 November 2023 –  
Papier-Mettler v EUIPO (Shape of a bag)

(Case T‑114/23) (
[1](#t-ECR_62023TJ0114_INF_EN_01-E0001)
)

(EU trade mark – Application for a three-dimensional EU trade mark – Shape of a bag – Absolute ground for refusal – No distinctive character – Article 7(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001)

| 1. | EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Absolute grounds for refusal – Marks devoid of distinctive character – Three-dimensional trade marks consisting of the shape of the product itself – Distinctive character – Criteria for assessment – Shape in question being a ‘variant’ of the habitual shapes of the type of products concerned – Fact not sufficient to establish distinctiveness of the mark  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 10, 12-14, 23, 46, 47, 52, 57, 58) |

| 2. | EU trade mark – Mark not fulfilling its fundamental function – No general interest in conferring thereon the protection referred to by Regulation 2017/1001  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(b))  (see paragraph 11) |

| 3. | EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Absolute grounds for refusal – Marks devoid of distinctive character – Recognition of the distinctive character of the sign not subject to a finding of a specific level of linguistic or artistic creativity or imaginativeness  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(b))  (see paragraph 15) |

| 4. | EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Absolute grounds for refusal – Marks devoid of distinctive character – Three-dimensional mark consisting of the shape of a bag  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(b))  (see paragraphs 31-34, 37-39, 41, 42, 49-51, 53-55) |

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders each party to bear its own costs. |

---

(
[1](#c-ECR_62023TJ0114_INF_EN_01-E0001)
) [OJ C 127, 11.4.2023](./../../../legal-content/EN/AUTO/?uri=OJ:C:2023:127:TOC).

[Top](#document1)