Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Fourth Chamber) of 28 November 2017 — Polskie Zdroje v EUIPO (perlage)

(Case T‑239/16)

(European Union trade mark — Application for EU word mark perlage — Absolute ground for refusal — Descriptive — Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001) — No distinctive character acquired by use — Article 7(3) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 7(3) 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  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see para. 16) |

| 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 17-18) |

| 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  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paras 19, 28) |

| 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—Word mark perlage  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(c) and (2))  (see paras 21-25, 29-32) |

| 5. | EU trade mark—Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark—Absolute grounds for refusal—Marks devoid of any distinctive character—Exception—Distinctive character acquired through use—Criteria for assessment  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(b) — (d) and (3))  (see paras 36, 38-40) |

| 6. | EU trade mark—Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark—Absolute grounds for refusal—Marks devoid of any distinctive character—Exception—Distinctive character acquired through use—Mark devoid of distinctive character in part of the Union  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(b) — (d) and (3))  (see para 37) |

Re:

ACTION brought against the decision of the Fifth Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 16 March 2016 (Case R 1129/2015-5) concerning an application for registration of word sign perlage as an EU trade mark.

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders Polskie Zdroje sp. z o.o. sp.k. to pay the costs. |

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