Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Second Chamber) of 8 May 2019 –  
Team Beverage v EUIPO (LIEBLINGSWEIN)

(Case T‑55/18)

(EU trade mark — Application for the EU figurative mark LIEBLINGSWEIN — Absolute grounds for refusal — Descriptive character — Lack of distinctive character — Misleading character — Article 7(1)(b), (c) and (g) 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 — Aim — Need to preserve availability  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see para. 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 –Meaning  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paras 21, 22, 24, 26) |

| 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 — Criteria  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paras 23, 25, 29) |

| 4. | Judicial proceedings — Application initiating proceedings — Formal requirements — Brief summary of the pleas in law on which the application is based — Pleas in law not set out in the application — General reference to documents annexed to the application — Inadmissibility  (Statute of the Court of Justice, Art. 21, first para.; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 177(1)(d))  (see para. 27) |

| 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 — Figurative mark LIEBLINGSWEIN  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paras 38, 48-55) |

| 6. | 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 Articles 7(1)(b) and 7(1)(c) of Regulation No 2017/1001  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(b) and (c))  (see para. 60) |

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the First Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 6 November 2017 (Case R 291/2017-1), concerning an application for registration of the figurative sign LIEBLINGSWEIN as an EU trade mark.

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders Team Beverage AG to pay the costs. |

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