Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

Judgment of the General Court (Ninth Chamber) of 16 February 2017 —  
Gruppe Nymphenburg Consult v EUIPO (Limbic® Sales)

(Case T‑517/15)

(EU trade mark — Application for the EU word mark Limbic® Sales — Lack of distinctive character — Absolute ground for refusal — Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009)

| 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 — Criteria  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paras 17, 22, 36) |

| 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 — Concept — Mark composed of a word or neologism resulting from a combination of elements  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paras 18-21) |

| 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 — Word mark Limbic® Sales  (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(c))  (see paras 24-28, 35-52) |

Re:

ACTION brought against the decision of the First Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 23 June 2015 (Case R 1972/2014-1), concerning an application for registration of the word sign Limbic® Sales 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 23 June 2015 (Case R 1972/2014-1); |

| 2. | Orders EUIPO to bear its own costs as well as those incurred by Gruppe Nymphenburg Consult AG. |

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