Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Seventh Chamber) of 4 April 2019 –  
ABB v EUIPO (FLEXLOADER)

(Case T‑373/18)

(EU trade mark — Application for EU word mark FLEXLOADER — Absolute grounds for refusal — Lack of descriptive character — Distinctive character — Article 7(1)(b) and (c) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001 — Neologism — Insufficiently direct and specific connection with certain goods covered by the mark applied for)

| 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 — Word mark FLEXLOADER  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paras 20, 37, 47, 55-57) |

| 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. 29) |

| 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 — Concept — Mark composed of a word or neologism resulting from a combination of elements  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paras 30-32) |

| 4. | 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 goods 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, Arts 7(1) and 94, first sentence)  (see paras 43-45) |

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the First Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 29 March 2018 (Case R 93/2018-1), concerning an application for registration of the word sign FLEXLOADER as an EU trade mark.

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Annuls the decision of the First Board of Appeal of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) of 29 March 2018 (Case R 93/2018-1) in so far as it refused registration of the word sign FLEXLOADER for:   | – | the ‘mechanical tools for the application of humectant, binders, oilers, lubricants or dyes’, within Class 7 of the Nice Agreement concerning the International Classification of Goods and Services for the purposes of the Registration of Marks of 15 June 1957; and |  | – | the ‘electronic data entry and data processing devices, microprocessors, electrical input and output unit, compact discs, floppy disks, magnetic tapes and semiconductors for the storage of technical data’, within Class 9 of the Nice Arrangement; | |

| 2. | Dismisses the action as to the remainder; |

| 3. | Orders ABB AB and EUIPO to each bear their own costs. |

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