Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Eighth Chamber) of 14 December 2018 –  
Inforsacom Logicalis v EUIPO (Business and technology working as one)

(Case T‑7/18)

(EU trade mark — Application for EU word mark Business and technology working as one — Trade mark consisting in an advertising slogan — Absolute ground for refusal — Descriptive character — Article 7(1)(c) 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  (European Parliament and Council Regulation No 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see para. 13) |

| 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  (European Parliament and Council Regulation No 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paras 15-18) |

| 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  (European Parliament and Council Regulation No 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paras 19, 31) |

| 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 Business and technology working as one  (European Parliament and Council Regulation No 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paras 32, 38) |

| 5. | EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark — Absolute grounds for refusal — Marks devoid of any distinctive character — Marks constituted of advertising slogans — Slogan carrying an objective message  (European Parliament and Council Regulation No 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(b))  (see para. 34) |

| 6. | EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark — Absolute grounds for refusal — Overlap of the scope of the grounds set out in Articles 7(1)(b) and 7(1)(c) of Regulation No 2017/1001  (European Parliament and Council Regulation No 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(b) and (c))  (see para. 40) |

| 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  (European Parliament and Council Regulation No 2017/1001)  (see paras 44, 46) |

| 8. | 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  (European Parliament and Council Regulation No 2017/1001)  (see para. 45) |

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the First Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 20 October 2017 (Case R 808/2017-1), concerning an application for registration of the word sign Business and technology working as one as an EU trade mark.

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders Inforsacom Logicalis GmbH to pay the costs. |

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