Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Second Chamber) of 17 September 2019 –  
TrekStor v EUIPO (Theatre)

(Case T‑399/18)

(EU trade mark — Application for EU word mark Theatre — Absolute ground for refusal — Descriptive character — No distinctive character — Article 7(1)(b) and (c) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001)

| 1. | 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 — Aim — Need to preserve availability  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see para. 15) |

| 2. | 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 — Meaning  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paras 16-18) |

| 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 — Assessment of the descriptive nature of a sign — Criteria  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see para. 19) |

| 4. | EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark — Absolute grounds for refusal — Separate examination of the grounds for refusal in relation to each of the goods 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(1), first sentence)  (see para. 28) |

| 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 — Word mark Theatre  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paras 38, 39, 45, 48, 49, 52, 53) |

| 6. | EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark — Absolute grounds for refusal — Overlap of the scope of the grounds set out in Articles 7(1)(b) and 7(1)(c) of Regulation No 2017/1001  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(b) and (c))  (see paras 57, 58) |

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the Second Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 26 April 2018 (Case R 2238/2017-2) relating to an application for registration of the word sign Theatre as an EU trade mark.

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders TrekStor Ltd to pay the costs. |

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