Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Third Chamber) of 2 March 2022 –  
Distintiva Solutions v EUIPO – Makeblock (Makeblock)

(Case T‑86/21) (
[1](#t-ECR_62021TJ0086_INF_EN_01-E0001)
)

(EU trade mark – Invalidity proceedings – EU figurative mark Makeblock – Absolute grounds for refusal – Distinctive character – Article 7(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 7(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001) – No descriptive character – Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation No 207/2009 (now Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation 2017/1001) – Mark not of such a nature as to mislead the public – Article 7(1)(g) of Regulation No 207/2009 (now Article 7(1)(g) of Regulation 2017/1001))

| 1. | EU trade mark – Appeals procedure – Action before the EU judicature – Application initiating proceedings – Formal requirements – Pleas in law not set out in the application – General reference to other documents – Inadmissibility  (Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 177(1)(d))  (see para. 22) |

| 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 – Concept  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 7(1)(c), and 52(1)(a))  (see paras 35, 36, 38-40) |

| 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 – Figurative mark Makeblock  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 7(1)(c), and 52(1)(a))  (see paras 45-50, 54-56) |

| 4. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks devoid of distinctive character – Assessment of distinctive character – Criteria  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 7(1)(b), and 52(1)(a))  (see paras 63, 65) |

| 5. | EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks devoid of distinctive character – Figurative mark Makeblock  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 7(1)(b), and 52(1)(a))  (see paras 70, 71, 74, 79, 80, 83) |

| 6. | EU trade mark – Appeals procedure – Action before the EU judicature – Application initiating proceedings – Formal requirements – Summary of the pleas in law on which the application is based  (Statute of the Court of Justice, Art. 21, first para., and 53, first para.; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 177(1)(d))  (see para. 89) |

| 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 – Recourse by the Board of Appeal to implicit reasoning – Whether permissible – Conditions  (Art. 296 TFEU; Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 41(2); European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 94(1), first sentence)  (see para. 97) |

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders Distintiva Solutions S. Coop. Pequeña to pay the costs. |

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(
[1](#c-ECR_62021TJ0086_INF_EN_01-E0001)
) [OJ C 110, 29.3.2021.](./../../../legal-content/EN/AUTO/?uri=OJ:C:2021:110:TOC)

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