CELEX: 62011CN0090
Language: en
Date: 2011-02-25 00:00:00
Title: Case C-90/11: Reference for a preliminary ruling from the Bundespatentgericht (Germany) lodged on 25 February 2011 — Alfred Strigl v Deutsches Patent- und Markenamt

11.6.2011   
            
            
               EN
            
            
               Official Journal of the European Union
            
            
               C 173/3
            
         Reference for a preliminary ruling from the Bundespatentgericht (Germany) lodged on 25 February 2011 — Alfred Strigl v Deutsches Patent- und Markenamt
   (Case C-90/11)
   2011/C 173/05
   Language of the case: German
   
      Referring court
   
   Bundespatentgericht
   
      Parties to the main proceedings
   
   
      Applicant: Alfred Strigl
   
      Defendant: Deutsches Patent- und Markenamt
   
      Question referred
   
   Is the ground for refusal under Article 3(1)(b) and/or (c) of Directive 2008/95/EC (1) also applicable to a word sign which consists of a descriptive word combination and a non descriptive letter sequence, if the trade perceives the letter sequence as an abbreviation of the descriptive words because it reproduces their initial letters, and the trade mark as a whole can thus be construed as a combination of mutually explanatory descriptive indications or abbreviations?
   
      (1)  Directive 2008/95/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 October 2008 to approximate the laws of the Member States relating to trade marks (Codified version); OJ 2008 L 299, p. 25.