Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Seventh Chamber) of 16 January 2019 –  
Windspiel Manufaktur v EUIPO (Representation of the position of a bottle closure)

(Case T‑489/17)

(EU trade mark — Application for an EU trade mark representing a bottle closure — Absolute ground for refusal — No distinctive character — Article 7(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 7(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001))

| 1. | EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark — Absolute grounds for refusal — Marks devoid of any distinctive character — Assessment of distinctive character — Criteria  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(b))  (see paras 14, 15, 43) |

| 2. | EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark — Absolute grounds for refusal — Marks devoid of any distinctive character — Three-dimensional trade marks consisting of the shape of the product itself — Distinctive character — Criteria for assessment  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(b))  (see paras 17, 23, 29) |

| 3. | EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark — Absolute grounds for refusal — Marks devoid of any distinctive character — Assessment of distinctive character — Criteria — Positional mark  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(b))  (see para. 24) |

| 4. | EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark — Absolute grounds for refusal — Marks devoid of any distinctive character — Mark representing a bottle closure  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(b))  (see paras 32-37, 44, 50, 51, 60-64) |

| 5. | EU trade mark — Decisions of the Office — Legality — Examination by the EU judicature — Criteria  (Council Regulation No 207/2009)  (see para. 41) |

| 6. | EU trade mark — Procedural provisions — Decisions of the Office — Observance of the rights of the defence — Scope of the principle  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 75(1), second sentence)  (see paras 52, 54) |

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the Fourth Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 1 June 2017 (Case R 1374/2016-4) concerning an application for registration of a sign representing a bottle closure as an EU trade mark.

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders Windspiel Manufaktur GmbH to pay the costs. |

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