Judgment of the General Court of 10 February 2015 — Innovation First v OHIM (NANO)

(Case T-379/13) ¹

(Community trade mark — Application for Community word mark NANO — Right to be heard — Obligation to state reasons — Examination of the facts of the Office’s own motion — Absolute ground for refusal — Descriptiveness — Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009)

Language of the case: English

Parties

Applicant: Innovation First, Inc. (Greenville, South Carolina, United States) (represented by: J. Zecher, lawyer)

Defendant: Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (Trade Marks and Designs) (represented by: A. Poch, Agent)

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the First Board of Appeal of OHIM of 19 April 2013 (Case R 1271/2012-1), relating to an application for registration of the word sign NANO as a Community trade mark.

Operative part of the judgment

The Court:

1.    Dismisses the action;

2.    Orders Innovation First, Inc. to bear the costs.

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¹     OJ C 260, 7.9.2013.