Judgment of the General Court (Ninth Chamber) of 23 January 2014 —
NCL v OHIM (NORWEGIAN BREAKAWAY)

(Case T‑514/12)

Community trade mark — Application for the Community word mark NORWEGIAN BREAKAWAY — Absolute grounds for refusal — Descriptive character — Lack of distinctiveness — Article 7(1)(b) and (c) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009

1.                     Community trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the Community 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.                     Community trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the Community trade mark — Absolute grounds for refusal — 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 16, 17)

3.                     Community trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the Community 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 NORWEGIAN BREAKAWAY (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(c)) (see paras 26-28, 33-39, 46-49, 53, 54, 58, 59)

Re:

ACTION brought against the decision of the Fourth Board of Appeal of OHIM of 12 September 2012 (Case R 1017/2012-4), concerning an application for registration of the word sign NORWEGIAN BREAKAWAY as a Community trade mark.

Operative part

The Court:

1. Dismisses the action;

2. Orders NCL Corporation Ltd., in addition to bearing its own costs, to pay the costs incurred by the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (Trade Marks and Designs) (OHIM).