This document is an excerpt from the EUR-Lex website
Document 62020TJ0183
Judgment of the General Court (Sixth Chamber) of 2 June 2021.
Christian Schneider v European Union Intellectual Property Office.
EU trade mark – Invalidity proceedings – EU word mark Teslaplatte – Absolute ground for refusal – Descriptive character – Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001).
Case T-183/20.
Judgment of the General Court (Sixth Chamber) of 2 June 2021.
Christian Schneider v European Union Intellectual Property Office.
EU trade mark – Invalidity proceedings – EU word mark Teslaplatte – Absolute ground for refusal – Descriptive character – Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001).
Case T-183/20.
Court reports – general
ECLI identifier: ECLI:EU:T:2021:314
Judgment of the General Court (Sixth Chamber) of 2 June 2021 –
Schneider v EUIPO – Raths (Teslaplatte)
(Case T‑183/20)
(EU trade mark – Invalidity proceedings – EU word mark Teslaplatte – Absolute ground for refusal – Descriptive character – Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 (now Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001))
1. |
EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks composed exclusively of signs or indications capable of designating the characteristics of a product or service – Concept (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(c)) (see paras 17, 18) |
2. |
EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks composed exclusively of signs or indications capable of designating the characteristics of a product or service – Criteria (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(c)) (see paras 19, 40) |
3. |
EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Relevant date for the examination of an application for a declaration of invalidity – Date on which the application for registration of the contested mark was filed (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 7(1)(c) and 52(1)(a)) (see para. 20) |
4. |
EU trade mark – Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – Marks composed exclusively of signs or indications capable of designating the characteristics of a product or service – Word mark Teslaplatte (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(c)) (see paras 29, 39, 41, 42, 45, 49) |
5. |
Surrender, revocation and invalidity – Absolute grounds for invalidity – 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 207/2009) (see para. 51) |
Re:
Action brought against the decision of the Second Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 15 January 2020 (Case R 247/2019-2), relating to invalidity proceedings between Mr Raths and Mr Schneider.
Operative part
The Court:
1. |
Dismisses the action; |
2. |
Orders Mr Christian Schneider to pay the costs. |