Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Third Chamber) of 1 February 2023 –  
Krematorium am Waldfriedhof Schwäbisch Hall v EUIPO (aquamation)

(Case T‑319/22) (
[1](#t-ECR_62022TJ0319_INF_EN_01-E0001)
)

(EU trade mark – Application for the EU word mark aquamation – Absolute ground for refusal – Descriptive character – Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001)

| 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 – Concept  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paragraphs 17, 19) |

| 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 paragraph 18) |

| 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 – Assessment of the descriptive nature of a sign – Criteria  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paragraphs 20, 32, 33) |

| 4. | EU trade mark – Procedural provisions – Probative value of the evidence –Articles from an encyclopaedia established on the internet  (see paragraph 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 aquamation  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paragraphs 30, 35, 36, 39-41) |

| 6. | EU trade mark – Procedural provisions – Probative value of the evidence –Sources from non-EU territories  (see paragraph 34) |

| 7. | 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 Article 7(1)(b) and Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation 2017/1001  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(b) and (c))  (see paragraph 43) |

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders the parties to bear their own costs. |

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(
[1](#c-ECR_62022TJ0319_INF_EN_01-E0001)
) [OJ C 276, 18.7.2022](./../../../legal-content/EN/AUTO/?uri=OJ:C:2022:276:TOC).

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