Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (First Chamber) of 22 March 2023 –  
Beauty Biosciences v EUIPO – Société de Recherche Cosmétique (BIO-BEAUTÉ)

(Case T‑750/21) (
[1](#t-ECR_62021TJ0750_INF_EN_01-E0001)
)

(EU trade mark – Invalidity proceedings – EU word mark BIO-BEAUTÉ – Absolute grounds for refusal – Descriptiveness – Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001) – No distinctive character – Article 7(1)(b) of Regulation No 207/2009 (now Article 7(1)(b) of Regulation 2017/1001) – Distinctive character acquired through use – Article 7(3) of Regulation No 207/2009 (now Article 7(3) of Regulation 2017/1001) – Article 52(1)(a) and (2) of Regulation No 207/2009 (now Article 59(1)(a) and (2) of Regulation 2017/1001) – Obligation to state reasons – Article 75, first sentence, of Regulation No 207/2009 (now Article 94(1), first sentence, of Regulation 2017/1001))

| 1. | EU trade mark – Procedural provisions – Statement of reasons for decisions – Article 94(1), first sentence, of Regulation 2017/1001 – Scope identical to that of Article 296 TFEU  (Art. 296 TFEU; European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 94(1), first sentence)  (see paragraphs 18, 19) |

| 2. | EU trade mark – Appeals procedure – Action before the EU judicature – Power of the General Court to alter the contested decision – Limits  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 72(3))  (see paragraph 29) |

| 3. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks devoid of distinctive character – Exception – Distinctive character acquired through use – Criteria for assessment  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 7(3) and 52(2))  (see paragraphs 37-42, 52) |

| 4. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks devoid of distinctive character – Exception – Distinctive character acquired through use – Burden of proof  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 7(3) and 52(2))  (see paragraph 43) |

| 5. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks devoid of distinctive character – Exception – Distinctive character acquired through use – Trade mark devoid of distinctive character throughout the Union – Acquisition through use also throughout the Union  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 7(3) and 52(2))  (see paragraph 49) |

| 6. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Registration contrary to Article 7(1)(b) and (c) of Regulation No 207/2009 – Exception – Distinctive character acquired through use – Word mark BIO-BEAUTÉ  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 7(1)(b) and (c), 7(3) and 52(2))  (see paragraphs 50, 58-61) |

| 7. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks devoid of distinctive character – Exception – Distinctive character acquired through use – Evidential value of the evidence  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 7(3) and 52(2))  (see paragraph 57) |

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Annuls the decision of the Fourth Board of Appeal of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) of 28 September 2021 (Joined Cases R 1871/2020-4 and R 1891/2020-4) in so far as it concerns ‘perfumes, toilet water, eau de Cologne; essential oils; incense, perfume water’ and ‘dentifrices’; |

| 2. | Dismisses the action as to the remainder; |

| 3. | Orders each party to bear its own costs incurred in the course of the proceedings before the General Court. |

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(
[1](#c-ECR_62021TJ0750_INF_EN_01-E0001)
) [OJ C 51, 31.1.2022](./../../../legal-content/EN/AUTO/?uri=OJ:C:2022:051:TOC).

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