Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Sixth Chamber) of 17 January 2019 –  
Ecolab USA v EUIPO (SOLIDPOWER)

(Case T‑40/18)

(EU trade mark — International registration designating the European Union — Word mark SOLIDPOWER — 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 — Aim — Need to preserve availability  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see para. 21) |

| 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 22-25) |

| 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 — Meaning — 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 para. 26) |

| 4. | 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 SOLIDPOWER  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paras 28, 36-38, 42-44) |

| 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 — Trade mark made up of several elements — Possible for the competent authority to examine each of the elements making up the trade mark — Scope of protection of the mark  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see para. 31) |

| 6. | EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark — Assessment of the registrability of a sign — EU rules only taken into account — Earlier registration of the mark in certain Member States or third countries — Decisions not binding EU bodies  (European Parliament and Council Regulation 2017/1001)  (see para. 47) |

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the Fifth Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 9 November 2017 (Case R 1182/2017-5), relating to the international registration designating the European Union in respect of the word mark SOLIDPOWER.

Operative part

The Court:

| 1. | Dismisses the action; |

| 2. | Orders Ecolab USA, Inc. to pay the costs. |

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