Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Tenth Chamber) of 9 March 2022 –  
Telefónica Germany v EUIPO (LOOP)

(Case T‑132/21) (
[1](#t-ECR_62021TJ0132_INF_EN_01-E0001)
)

(EU trade mark – Application for the EU word mark LOOP – Partial rejection of the application for registration – Absolute grounds of refusal – Lack of distinctive character – Article 7(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001 – Descriptive character – Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001 – Objective characteristics inherent in the nature of the products and services – Sufficiently direct and specific relationship – Obligation to state reasons – Article 94 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 – Assessment of the descriptive nature of a sign – Criteria  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paras 15-17, 58) |

| 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 – Word mark LOOP  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paras 37, 47, 65, 76, 81, 98, 106) |

| 3. | EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Application for registration of a sign for all the goods or services falling within the same category – Assessment of the descriptiveness of the sign concerning all the goods or services  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see para. 45) |

| 4. | EU trade mark – Procedural provisions – Statement of reasons for decisions – First sentence of Article 94(1) 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 para. 87) |

| 5. | EU trade mark – Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark – Absolute grounds for refusal – Examination of the grounds for refusal having regard to each of the products or services covered by the application for registration – Obligation to state the reasons for refusing to register – Scope  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 94(1), first sentence)  (see paras 88-90) |

| 6. | EU trade mark – Decisions of the Office – Principle of equal treatment – Principle of sound administration – EUIPO’s previous decision-making practice – Principle of legality  (European Parliament and Council Directive 2017/1001, Arts 66 to 71)  (see paras 113, 114) |

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Annuls the decision of the Fourth Board of Appeal of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) of 17 December 2020 (Case R 644/2020-4) in so far as it concerns the goods in Class 9 and the services in Classes 38 and 42 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 Telefónica Germany GmbH & Co. OHG to bear one third of its own costs, including one third of the costs incurred by it for the purposes of the proceedings before the Board of Appeal; |

| 4. | Orders EUIPO to bear its own costs and to pay two thirds of the costs incurred by Telefónica Germany, including two thirds of the costs incurred by Telefónica Germany for the purposes of the proceedings before the Board of Appeal. |

---

(
[1](#c-ECR_62021TJ0132_INF_EN_01-E0001)
) [OJ C 148, 26.4.2021](./../../../legal-content/EN/AUTO/?uri=OJ:C:2021:148:TOC).

[Top](#document1)