Action brought on 27 August 2009 - Consejo Regulador de la Denominación de Origen Txakoli de Álava and Others v OHIM (TXAKOLI)

(Case T-341/09)

Language of the case: Spanish

Parties

Applicants: Consejo Regulador de la Denominación de Origen Txakoli de Álava (Amurrio, Spain), Consejo Regulador de la Denominación de Origen Txakoli de Bizkaia (Leoia, Spain), Consejo Regulador de la Denominación de Origen Txakoli de Getaria (Getaria, Spain) (represented by J. Grimau Muñoz and J. Villamor Muguerza, lawyers)

Defendant: Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (Trade Marks and Designs)

Form of order sought

Annul the decision of the Second Board of Appeal of the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market of 4 June 2009 in Case R 197/2009-2 and allow the application for registration of 'TXAKOLI' as a Community trade mark (collective word mark) for Classes 33, 35, 41 and 42.

Order OHIM to pay the costs.

Pleas in law and main arguments

Community trade mark concerned: Collective word mark 'TXAKOLI' (Application No 6.952.014) for goods and services in Classes 33, 35, 41 and 42.

Decision of the Examiner: Application refused.

Decision of the Board of Appeal: Appeal dismissed.

Pleas in law: Incorrect application of Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation No 207/2009 inasmuch as that provision is not applicable to the term 'Txakoli' since the latter is considered to be a traditional term by Commission Regulation (EC) No 753/2002 of 29 April 2002 laying down certain rules for applying Council Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 as regards the description, designation, presentation and protection of certain wine sector products. ¹

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¹ - OJ 2002 L 118, p. 1.