Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Ninth Chamber) of 31 January 2019 –  
DeepMind Technologies v EUIPO (STREAMS)

(Case T‑97/18)

(EU trade mark — Application for EU word mark STREAMS — Absolute grounds for refusal — Descriptive character — Article 7(1)(c) and 7(2) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001 — Previous EUIPO practice)

| 1. | 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 para. 17) |

| 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 — Aim — Need to preserve availability  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see para. 25) |

| 3. | 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 — Meaning  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paras 26, 27, 34) |

| 4. | 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 para. 28) |

| 5. | 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 STREAMS  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c) and (2))  (see paras 30-32, 35-38) |

| 6. | EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark — Absolute grounds for refusal — Overlap of the scope of the grounds set out in Articles 7(1)(b) and 7(1)(c) of Regulation No 2017/1001  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(b) and (c))  (see para. 40) |

| 7. | 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. 44) |

| 8. | 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 51-53) |

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the First Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 27 November 2017 (Case R 35/2017-1), relating to an application for registration of the word sign STREAMS as an EU trade mark.

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders DeepMind Technologies Ltd to pay the costs. |

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