Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Second Chamber) of 11 February 2020 –  
Stada Arzneimittel v EUIPO (ViruProtect)

(Case T‑487/18)

(EU trade mark — Application for EU word mark ViruProtect — Absolute ground for refusal — Descriptive character — Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001) — Duty to state reasons)

| 1. | EU trade mark — Procedural provisions — Statement of reasons for decisions  (Art. 296 TFEU; Council Regulation No 207/2009)  (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 — Aim — Need to preserve availability  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see para. 16) |

| 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 — Meaning  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see para. 23) |

| 4. | 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 — Neologism consisting of elements descriptive of characteristics of the goods or services concerned — Whether included where the nature of the combination is not unusual  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see para. 25) |

| 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 ViruProtect  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paras 39, 43, 47) |

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the Fifth Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 4 June 2018 (Case R 1886/2017-5), relating to an application for registration of the word sign ViruProtect as an EU trade mark.

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders Stada Arzneimittel AG to pay the costs. |

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