Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Order of the General Court (Ninth Chamber) of 12 February 2021 –  
sprd.net v EUIPO – Shirtlabor (I love)

(Case T‑19/20)

(Action for annulment – EU trade mark – Invalidity proceedings – EU figurative mark I love – Absolute ground for refusal – Lack of distinctive character – Article 7(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 7(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001) – Trade mark consisting of an advertising slogan – Obligation to state reasons – Article 94(1) of Regulation 2017/1001 – Inapplicability of Article 16(1)(a) of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2018/625 – Admissibility of evidence – Article 97(1) of Regulation 2017/1001 – Impartiality – Article 95(1) of Regulation 2017/1001 – Action manifestly lacking any foundation in law)

| 1. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks devoid of distinctive character – Concept – Criteria for assessment  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 7(1)(b) and 52(1)(a))  (see paras 24-27, 85, 86) |

| 2. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks devoid of distinctive character – Assessment of distinctive character – Criteria – Perception of the trade mark by the relevant public – Attention level of the public  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 7(1)(b) and 52(1)(a))  (see para. 28) |

| 3. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks devoid of distinctive character – Marks consisting of advertising slogans – Distinctive character – Application of specific criteria for assessment – Not permissible  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 7(1)(b) and 52(1)(a))  (see paras 29, 30) |

| 4. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks devoid of distinctive character – Marks consisting of advertising slogans – Distinctive character – Criteria for assessment  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 7(1)(b) and 52(1)(a))  (see paras 31-33) |

| 5. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks devoid of distinctive character – Figurative mark I love  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 7(1)(b) and 52(1)(a))  (see paras 37, 42, 62-64, 78, 82, 83) |

| 6. | EU trade mark – Procedural provisions – Examination of the facts of EUIPO’s own motion – Invalidity proceedings concerning absolute grounds for refusal – Examination restricted to the facts, evidence and arguments provided  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Arts 7, 59, 62 and 95(1))  (see paras 47, 48) |

| 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 2017/1001)  (see paras 92, 93) |

| 8. | 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 – Recourse by the Board of Appeal to implicit reasoning – Whether permissible – Conditions  (Art. 296 TFEU; European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 94(1), first sentence)  (see paras 108-110) |

| 9. | Acts of the institutions – Statement of reasons – Obligation – Scope – Plea alleging absence or inadequacy of the statement of reasons – Plea alleging lack of a basis of the statement of reasons – Distinction  (Arts 256(1), second para., and 296 TFEU)  (see para. 111) |

| 10. | Judicial proceedings – Proof – Probative value – Criteria for assessment – Principles of the unfettered adduction of evidence and the unfettered evaluation of evidence  (Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 47; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 85)  (see para. 123) |

| 11. | EU trade mark – Procedural provisions – Examination of the facts of EUIPO’s own motion – Invalidity proceedings concerning absolute grounds for refusal – Duty of diligence  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Arts 7, 59, 62 and 95(1))  (see para. 128) |

| 12. | EU trade mark – Procedural provisions – Examination of the facts of EUIPO’s own motion – Scope – No obligation to prove matters within common knowledge  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 95(1))  (see para. 130) |

| 13. | EU trade mark – Procedural provisions – Examination of the facts of EUIPO’s own motion – Invalidity proceedings concerning absolute grounds for refusal – Examination restricted to the facts, evidence and arguments provided – Well-known facts taken into account  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Arts 7, 59, 62 and 95(1))  (see para. 134) |

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the Fifth Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 18 October 2019 (Case R 5/2019-5), relating to invalidity proceedings between Shirtlabor and sprd.net.

Operative part

| 1. | The action is dismissed. |

| 2. | sprd.net AG shall pay its own costs and the costs incurred by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). |

| 3. | Shirtlabor GmbH shall bear its own costs. |

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