Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Second Chamber) of 10 February 2021 –  
Biochange Group v EUIPO – mysuperbrand (medical beauty research)

(Case T‑98/20)

(EU trade mark – Invalidity proceedings – EU word mark medical beauty research – Absolute grounds for refusal – Descriptiveness – Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation (EC) No 40/94 (now Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001) – Lack of distinctive character – Article 7(1)(b) of Regulation No 40/94 (now Article 7(1)(b) of Regulation 2017/1001) – Consideration of the facts – Article 95(1) of Regulation 2017/1001)

| 1. | Judicial proceedings – Application initiating proceedings – Formal requirements – Identification of the subject matter of the dispute – Summary of the pleas in law on which the application is based  (Statute of the Court of Justice, Arts 21, first para. and 53, first para.; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 177(1)(d))  (see para. 26) |

| 2. | 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. 36) |

| 3. | 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 – Concept  (Council Regulation No 40/94, Arts 7(1)(c) and 51(1)(a))  (see paras 37, 70) |

| 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 – Assessment of the descriptive nature of a sign – Criteria – Perception of the trade mark by the relevant public – Attention level of the public  (Council Regulation No 40/94, Arts 7(1)(c) and 51(1)(a))  (see paras 38, 40, 44, 46, 56, 57) |

| 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 – Word mark medical beauty research  (Council Regulation No 40/94, Arts 7(1)(c) and 51(1)(a))  (see paras 60, 65-67, 78, 85, 87-95) |

| 6. | 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 paras 72, 73) |

| 7. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Overlap of the scope of the grounds set out in Article 7(1)(b) and Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation No 40/94  (Council Regulation No 40/94, Arts 7(1)(b) and (c) and 51(1)(a))  (see para. 99) |

| 8. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks devoid of distinctive character – Word mark medical beauty research  (Council Regulation No 40/94, Arts 7(1)(b) and 51(1)(a))  (see paras 101, 107, 108) |

| 9. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks devoid of distinctive character – Concept – Criteria for assessment  (Council Regulation No 40/94, Arts 7(1)(b) and 51(1)(a))  (see paras 104, 105) |

| 10. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks devoid of distinctive character – Marks consisting of advertising slogans – Slogan conveying an objective message  (Council Regulation No 40/94, Arts 7(1)(b) and 51(1)(a))  (see para. 106) |

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the Second Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 8 November 2019 (Case R 114/2019-2) relating to invalidity proceedings between Laubender and Biochange Group.

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Annuls the decision of the Second Board of Appeal of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) of 8 November 2019 (Case R 114/2019-2) as regards ‘baby food’ in Class 5 of the Nice Agreement Concerning the International Classification of Goods and Services for the Purposes of the Registration of Marks of 15 June 1957, as revised and amended; |

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

| 3. | Orders Biochange Group GmbH, EUIPO and mysuperbrand GmbH each to bear their own costs. |

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