Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Sixth Chamber) of 2 December 2020 –  
Forex Bank v EUIPO – Coino UK (FOREX)

(Case T‑26/20)

(EU trade mark – Invalidity proceedings – EU word mark FOREX – Declaration of partial invalidity – Absolute grounds for refusal – Descriptive character – Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation (EC) No 40/94 (now Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001))

| 1. | EU trade mark – Appeals procedure – Action before the EU judicature – Jurisdiction of the General Court – Re-evaluation of the facts in the light of evidence produced for the first time before it – Precluded  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 72)  (see para. 13) |

| 2. | Judicial proceedings – Application initiating proceedings – Formal requirements – Brief summary of the pleas in law on which the application is based – Pleas in law not set out in the application – Reference to statement submitted to the Board of Appeal reproduced in the application – Inadmissibility  (Statute of the Court of Justice, Art. 21, first para.; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 177(1)(d))  (see paras 16, 17) |

| 3. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Registration contrary to Article 7 of Regulation No 40/94 – Relevant date for the examination of an absolute ground for nullity – Date of lodging the application for registration  (Council Regulation No 40/94, Arts 7(1) and 51(1)(a))  (see para. 19) |

| 4. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – 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 40/94, Arts 7(1)(c) and 51(1)(a))  (see para. 27) |

| 5. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks composed exclusively of signs or indications capable of designating the characteristics of a product or service – Definition  (Council Regulation No 40/94, Arts 7(1)(c) and 51(1)(a))  (see paras 28, 29) |

| 6. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – 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  (Council Regulation No 40/94, Arts 7(1)(c) and 51(1)(a))  (see paras 30, 39) |

| 7. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks composed exclusively of signs or indications capable of designating the characteristics of a product or service – Word mark FOREX  (Council Regulation No 40/94, Arts 7(1)(c) and 51(1)(a))  (see paras 49, 53, 56, 63) |

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the Second Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 4 October 2019 (Case R 2460/2018 2), relating to invalidity proceedings between Coino UK and Forex Bank.

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders Forex Bank AB to pay the costs. |

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