Judgment of the General Court (Seventh Chamber) of 21 May 2015 —
Yoshida Metal Industry v OHIM — Pi-Design and Others (Representation of a surface with black dots)

(Joined Cases T‑331/10 RENV and T‑416/10 RENV)

Community trade mark — Invalidity proceedings — Community figurative trade marks representing a surface with black dots — Absolute ground for refusal — Sign consisting exclusively of the shape of the goods which is necessary to obtain a technical result — Article 7(1)(e)(ii) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009

1.                     Community trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the Community trade mark — Absolute grounds for refusal — Signs which consist exclusively of the shape of goods which is necessary to obtain a technical result — Concept — Two- or three- dimensional signs — Included (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(e)(ii)) (see paras 38, 39)

2.                     Community trade mark — Surrender, revocation and invalidity — Absolute grounds for invalidity — Registration contrary to Article 7(1)(e)(ii) of Regulation No 207/2009 — Figurative marks representing a surface with black dots (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(e)(ii)) (see paras 53, 64-66)

3.                     Community trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the Community trade mark — Absolute grounds for refusal — Signs which consist exclusively of the shape of goods which is necessary to obtain a technical result — Concept — Existence of other shapes allowing the same technical result to be obtained — Not relevant to the ground for refusal (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(e)(ii)) (see paras 62, 65)

Re:

ACTION brought against the decision of the First Board of Appeal of OHIM of 20 May 2010 (Cases R 1235/2008‑1 and R 1237/2008‑1), concerning invalidity proceedings between Pi-design AG, Bodum France and Bodum Logistics A/S, on the one hand, and Yoshida Metal Industry Co. Ltd, on the other.

Operative part

The Court:

1. Dismisses the actions;

2. Orders Yoshida Metal Industry Co. Ltd to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (Trade Marks and Designs) (OHIM) and by Pi-Design AG, Bodum France and Bodum Logistics A/S before the General Court and before the Court of Justice.