CELEX: 62016TA0447
Language: en
Date: 2018-10-24 00:00:00
Title: Case T-447/16: Judgment of the General Court of 24 October 2018 — Pirelli Tyre v EUIPO — Yokohama Rubber (Representation of an L-shaped groove) (EU trade mark – Invalidity proceedings – EU figurative mark representing an L-shaped groove – Absolute ground for refusal – Sign consisting exclusively of the shape of goods which is necessary to obtain a technical result – Article 7(1)(e)(ii) of Regulation (EC) No 40/94 – Article 7(1)(e)(ii) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 7(1)(e)(ii) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001) – Regulation (EU) 2015/2424 – Application of the law ratione temporis – Shape of the goods – Nature of the sign – Account taken of material relevant to identifying the essential characteristics of the sign – General interest underlying Article 7(1)(e)(ii) of Regulation No 40/94)

7.1.2019   
            
            
               EN
            
            
               Official Journal of the European Union
            
            
               C 4/23
            
         
      Judgment of the General Court of 24 October 2018 — Pirelli Tyre v EUIPO — Yokohama Rubber (Representation of an L-shaped groove)
      (Case T-447/16) (1)
      
      (EU trade mark - Invalidity proceedings - EU figurative mark representing an L-shaped groove - Absolute ground for refusal - Sign consisting exclusively of the shape of goods which is necessary to obtain a technical result - Article 7(1)(e)(ii) of Regulation (EC) No 40/94 - Article 7(1)(e)(ii) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 7(1)(e)(ii) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001) - Regulation (EU) 2015/2424 - Application of the law ratione temporis - Shape of the goods - Nature of the sign - Account taken of material relevant to identifying the essential characteristics of the sign - General interest underlying Article 7(1)(e)(ii) of Regulation No 40/94)
      (2019/C 4/31)
      Language of the case: English
      
         Parties
      
      
         Applicant: Pirelli Tyre SpA (Milan, Italy) (represented by: T.M. Müller and F. Togo, lawyers)
      
         Defendant: European Union Intellectual Property Office (represented by: J. Ivanauskas, acting as Agent)
      
         The other party to the proceedings before the Board of Appeal of EUIPO, intervener before the General Court: The Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd (Tokyo, Japan) (represented by: F. Boscariol de Roberto, D. Martucci and I. Gatto, lawyers)
      
         Re:
      
      Action brought against the decision of the Fifth Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 28 April 2016 (Case R 2583/2014-5), relating to invalidity proceedings between Yokohama Rubber and Pirelli Tyre.
      
         Operative part of the judgment
      
      The Court:
      
                  1.
               
               
                  Annuls paragraphs 2 and 3 of the operative part of the decision of the Fifth Board of Appeal of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) of 28 April 2016 (Case R 2583/2014 5);
               
            
                  2.
               
               
                  Orders EUIPO to bear its own costs and to pay the costs incurred by Pirelli Tyre SpA;
               
            
                  3.
               
               
                  Orders Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd to bear its own costs.
               
            
         (1)  OJ C 350, 26.9.2016.