Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Eighth Chamber) of 27 June 2017 — Jiménez Gasalla v EUIPO (B2B SOLUTIONS)

(Case T‑685/16)

(EU trade mark — Application for EU word mark B2B SOLUTIONS — Absolute grounds for refusal — Descriptive character — Lack of distinctive character — Article 7(1)(b) and (c) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 — Distinctive character acquired through use — Article 7(3) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009)

| 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 paras 23, 37) |

| 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 — Assessment of the descriptive nature of a sign — Criteria  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paras 24-26) |

| 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 — Word mark B2B SOLUTIONS  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paras 28, 32, 43, 45) |

| 4. | 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 — Trade mark devoid of distinctive character throughout the EU — Acquisition of that character in part of the Union — Insufficient  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(2))  (see para. 29) |

| 5. | EU trade mark — Decisions of the Office — Legality — Examination by the EU judicature — Criteria  (Council Regulation No 207/2009)  (see paras 39, 48) |

| 6. | EU trade mark — Decisions of the Office — Principle of equal treatment — Principle of sound administration — EUIPO’s previous decision-making practice  (Council Regulation No 207/2009)  (see para. 40) |

| 7. | EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark — Assessment of the registrability of a sign — EU rules only taken into account — Decisions of national authorities not binding EU bodies  (Council Regulation No 207/2009)  (see para. 41) |

| 8. | EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark — Absolute grounds for refusal — Overlap between the scope of the grounds for refusal set out in subparagraphs (b) and (c) of Article 7(1) of Regulation No 207/2009  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(b) and (c))  (see para. 44) |

Re:

ACTION brought against the decision of the Fourth Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 22 July 2016 (Case R 244/2016-4), concerning an application for registration of the word sign B2B SOLUTIONS as an EU trade mark.

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders Mr Carlos Javier Jiménez Gasalla to pay the costs. |

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