Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Order of the General Court (Seventh Chamber) of 20 September 2017 – Berliner Stadtwerke v EUIPO (berlinWärme)

(Case T-719/16)

(EU trade mark — Application for EU word mark berlinWärme — Absolute ground for refusal — Descriptive character — Lack of distinctive character — Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 — Action manifestly unfounded in law)

| 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  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, 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  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paras 16, 17) |

| 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–Mark composed of a word or neologism resulting from a combination of elements  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paras 18, 19) |

| 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–Assessment of the descriptive nature of a sign–Criteria  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see para. 20) |

| 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 berlinWärme  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(c)]  (see paras 28, 29, 33, 35, 40) |

| 6. | EU trade mark–Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark–Assessment of the registrability of a sign–EU rules only taken into account–Earlier registration of the mark in certain Member States or third countries–Decisions not binding EU bodies  (Council Regulation No 207/2009)  (see para. 30) |

| 7. | EU trade mark–Decisions of the Office–Principle of equal treatment–Principle of sound administration–EUIPO’s previous decision-making practice–Principle of legality–Need for a strict and complete examination in each particular case  (Council Regulation No 207/2009)  (see paras 36-38) |

| 8. | EU trade mark–Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark–Refusal to register based on one of the absolute grounds of refusal listed in Article 7(1) of Regulation No 207/2009–Whether sufficient  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1))  (see para. 43) |

Re:

ACTION brought against the decision of the First Board of Appeal of EUIPO EUIPO of 19 July 2016 (Case R 618/2016-1), relating to the application for registration of the word sign berlinWärme as an EU trade mark.

Operative part

| 1. | The action is dismissed. |

| 2. | Berliner Stadtwerke GmbH is ordered to pay the costs. |

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