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Document 62017TJ0644

    Judgment of the General Court (Third Chamber) of 16 October 2018.
    DNV GL AS v European Union Intellectual Property Office.
    European Union trade mark — Application for European Union word mark Sustainablel — Absolute ground for refusal — Descriptive character — Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation (EU) 2017/2001).
    Case T-644/17.

    Judgment of the General Court (Third Chamber) of 16 October 2018 –
    DNV GL v EUIPO (Sustainablel)

    (Case T‑644/17)

    (European Union trade mark — Application for European Union word mark Sustainablel — Absolute ground for refusal — Descriptive character — Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation (EU) 2017/2001))

    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. 15)

    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 — Meaning

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

    (see paras 16, 17)

    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 Sustainablel

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

    (see paras 20, 22-28, 32-35, 41)

    4. 

    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 — Assessment of the descriptive nature of a sign — Criteria

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

    (see para. 31)

    5. 

    EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark — Refusal of registration based on one of the absolute grounds for refusal set out in Article 7(1) of Regulation No 207/2009 — Whether sufficient

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

    (see para. 39)

    6. 

    EU trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the EU trade mark — Absolute grounds for refusal — Separate examination of the various grounds for refusal — Overlap of the scope of the grounds set out in Articles 7(1)(b) and 7(1)(c) of Regulation No 207/2009

    (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(b) to (d))

    (see para. 40)

    Re:

    Action brought against the decision of the Second Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 12 July 2017 (Case R 2/2017-2), relating to an application for registration of the word mark Sustainablel as a European Union trade mark.

    Operative part

    The Court:

    1. 

    Dismisses the action;

    2. 

    Orders DNV GL AS to pay the costs.
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