Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Ninth Chamber) of 9 December 2020 –  
Promed v EUIPO – Centrumelektroniki (Promed)

(Case T‑30/20)

(EU trade mark – Invalidity proceedings – EU word mark Promed – Absolute ground for refusal – No distinctive character – Article 7(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 40/94 (now Article 7(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001))

| 1. | EU trade mark – Appeals procedure – Action before the EU judicature – Power of the General Court to alter the contested decision  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 72)  (see para. 22) |

| 2. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Application for a declaration of invalidity – Determination of the grounds on which the application for a declaration of invalidity is based  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 95(1))  (see para. 27) |

| 3. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks devoid of distinctive character – Assessment of distinctive character – Criteria  (Council Regulation No 40/94, Arts 7(1)(b) and 51(1)(a))  (see paras 40, 41) |

| 4. | 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 paras 42, 43) |

| 5. | 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 40/94, Arts 7(1)(b) and 51(1)(a))  (see para. 44) |

| 6. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks devoid of distinctive character – Trade mark made up of several elements – Possible for the competent authority to examine each of the elements making up the trade mark – Need to take account of the overall perception of the combination by the relevant public  (Council Regulation No 40/94, Arts 7(1)(b) and 51(1)(a))  (see para. 46) |

| 7. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks devoid of distinctive character – Word mark Promed  (Council Regulation No 40/94, Arts 7(1)(b) and 51(1)(a))  (see paras 49, 51-55, 58) |

| 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 56, 57) |

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the Fifth Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 7 November 2019 (Case R 614/2019-5), relating to invalidity proceedings between Centrumelektroniki and Promed kosmetische Erzeugnisse.

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders Promed GmbH kosmetische Erzeugnisse to pay the costs. |

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