Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Fifth Chamber) of 15 December 2016 — Mondelez UK Holdings & Services v EUIPO — Société des produits Nestlé (Shape of a chocolate bar)

(Case T‑112/13)

(EU trade mark — Invalidity proceedings — Three-dimensional mark — Shape of a chocolate bar — Absolute ground for refusal — No distinctive character — Distinctive character acquired through use — Article 7(1)(b) and (3) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 — Article 52(1) and (2) of Regulation No 207/2009)

| 1. | EU trade mark—Surrender, revocation and invalidity—Absolute grounds for invalidity—Registration contrary to Article 7(1)(b) of Regulation No 207/2009—Three-dimensional mark—Shape of a chocolate bar  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 7(1)(b), and 52(1)(a))  (see paras 24, 25, 42-44, 58-61, 101, 117, 177, 178) |

| 2. | EU trade mark—Observations of third parties and opposition—Examination of the opposition—Proof of use of the earlier mark—Partial use—Effect—Concept of ‘parts of the products or services’ covered by the registration  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 42(2) and (3))  (see paras 26, 27) |

| 3. | EU trade mark—Surrender, revocation and invalidity—Absolute grounds for invalidity—Registration contrary to Article 7(1)(b) of Regulation No 207/2009—Exception—Distinctive character acquired through use—Burden of proof  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 7(1)(b), and 52(1)(a))  (see paras 55, 76) |

| 4. | EU trade mark—Surrender, revocation and invalidity—Absolute grounds for invalidity—Registration contrary to Article 7(1)(b) of Regulation No 207/2009—Exception—Distinctive character acquired through use—Criteria for assessment  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(3))  (see paras 67-72, 77, 93) |

| 5. | 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 paras 108, 109) |

| 6. | EU trade mark—Surrender, revocation and invalidity—Absolute grounds for invalidity—Registration contrary to Article 7(1)(b) of Regulation No 207/2009—Exception—Distinctive character acquired through use—Trade mark devoid of distinctive character throughout the EU—Acquisition by use also throughout the EU  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 1(2), and 7(3))  (see paras 119-129, 139) |

Re:

ACTION brought against the decision of the Second Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 11 December 2012 (Case R 513/2011-2), relating to invalidity proceedings between Cadbury Holdings and Société des produits Nestlé.

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Annuls the decision of the Second Board of Appeal of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) of 11 December 2012 (Case R 513/2011-2); |

| 2. | Orders EUIPO to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by Mondelez UK Holdings & Services Ltd; |

| 3. | Orders Société des produits Nestlé SA to bear its own costs. |

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