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Document 62016TO0402

Order of the General Court (Seventh Chamber) of 20 September 2017.
Berliner Stadtwerke GmbH v European Union Intellectual Property Office.
EU trade mark — Application for EU word mark berlinGas — Absolute ground for refusal — Descriptive character — Lack of distinctive character — Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 — Action manifestly unfounded in law.
Case T-402/16.

Court reports – general – 'Information on unpublished decisions' section

Order of the General Court (Seventh Chamber) of 20 September 2017 — Berliner Stadtwerke v EUIPO (berlinGas)

(Case T‑402/16)

(EU trade mark — Application for EU word mark berlinGas — Absolute ground for refusal — Descriptive character — Lack of distinctive character — Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 — Action manifestly unfounded in law)

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

(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(c))

(see para. 14)

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 15-19, 26)

3. 

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

(Council Regulation No 207/2009)

(see para. 30)

4. 

EU trade mark—Decisions of the Office—Principle of equal treatment—Principle of sound administration—EUIPO’s previous decision-making practice—Principle of legality—Need for a strict and complete examination in each particular case

(Council Regulation No 207/2009)

(see paras 31-34)

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—Word mark berlinGas

(Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(c))

(see paras 36, 39, 40)

Re:

ACTION brought against the decision of the First Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 12 May 2016 (Case R 291/2016-1), relating to the application for registration of the word sign berlinGas as an EU trade mark.

Operative part

1. 

The action is dismissed.

2. 

Berliner Stadtwerke GmbH is ordered to pay the costs.

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