Keywords
Summary

Keywords

Community trade mark - Definition of a Community trade mark and obtaining a Community trade mark - Absolute grounds for refusal - Marks devoid of any distinctive character - Investorworld

(Council Regulation No 40/94, Art. 7(1)(b))

Summary

$$Under Article 7(1)(b) of Regulation No 40/94 on the Community trade mark, trade marks which are devoid of any distinctive character are not to be registered. In that regard, the word Investorworld, registration of which has been applied for in respect of the services insurance; financial affairs; monetary affairs; real estate affairs, is not capable of being registered as a Community trade mark since it is devoid of any distinctive character. Investor implies that the services designated are aimed at investors. The addition to that word of world does not add any further feature such as to render the sign as a whole capable of distinguishing the services of the applicant from those of other undertakings. Constituted as it is, the sign merely refers to the world of the investor, meaning that the services in question relate to anything which might be of some interest to an investor.

( see paras 21-22, 24-25 )