Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Seventh Chamber) of 5 March 2025 –  
Kapitan Navi Elżbieta Stramek i Waldemar Karpiński v EUIPO –  
Homann Feinkost (Matjesfilethappen nach ‘Kolberger Art’)

(Case T‑89/24)

(EU trade mark – Invalidity proceedings – EU word mark Matjesfilethappen nach ‘Kolberger Art’ – Absolute grounds for invalidity – No distinctive character – Descriptive character – No distinctive character acquired through use – Article 7(1)(b) and (c) and (3) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001)

| 1. | EU trade mark – Appeals procedure – Action before the EU judicature – Jurisdiction of the General Court – Review of the facts in the light of evidence produced for the first time before it – Not included  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 72)  (see paragraphs 13, 14) |

| 2. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks consisting exclusively of signs or indications which may serve to designate the characteristics of a product or service – Meaning  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Arts 7(1)(c) and 59(1)(a))  (see paragraphs 21, 23, 38) |

| 3. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks consisting exclusively of signs or indications which may serve to designate the characteristics of a product or service – Aim – Need to preserve availability  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Arts 7(1)(c) and 59(1)(a))  (see paragraph 22) |

| 4. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks consisting exclusively of signs or indications which may serve to designate the characteristics of a product or service – Concept of characteristic  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Arts 7(1)(c) and 59(1)(a))  (see paragraph 24) |

| 5. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks consisting exclusively of signs or indications which may serve to designate the characteristics of a product or service – Assessment of the descriptive character of a sign – Criteria  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Arts 7(1)(c) and 59(1)(a))  (see paragraphs 25, 42) |

| 6. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks consisting exclusively of signs or indications which may serve to designate the characteristics of a product or service – Word mark Matjesfilethappen nach ‘Kolberger Art’  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Arts 7(1)(c) and 59(1)(a))  (see paragraphs 30, 45-47) |

| 7. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Refusal of registration based on one of the absolute grounds for refusal set out in Article 7(1) of Regulation 2017/1001 – Whether sufficient  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Arts 7(1) and 59(1)(a))  (see paragraph 51) |

| 8. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks devoid of any distinctive character – Exception – Distinctive character acquired through use – Burden of proof  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Arts 7(3) and 59(2))  (see paragraph 57) |

| 9. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks devoid of any distinctive character – Exception – Distinctive character acquired through use – Criteria for assessment  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Arts 7(3) and 59(2))  (see paragraphs 58, 59, 72) |

| 10. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks devoid of any distinctive character – Exception – Distinctive character acquired through use – Word mark Matjesfilethappen nach ‘Kolberger Art’  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Arts 7(3) and 59(2))  (see paragraphs 65, 66, 69, 70, 73, 74) |

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders Kapitan Navi Elżbieta Stramek i Waldemar Karpiński sp.j., in addition to bearing its own costs, to pay those incurred by Homann Feinkost GmbH for the purposes of the proceedings before the Court; |

| 3. | Orders the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) to bear its own costs. |

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