Judgment of the General Court (Second Chamber) of 6 February 2013 — Maharishi Foundation v OHIM (MÉDITATION TRANSCENDANTALE)

(Case T‑426/11)

Community trade mark — Application for Community word mark MÉDITATION TRANSCENDANTALE — Absolute grounds for refusal — Decision of the Board of Appeal remitting the case to the Examination Division — Article 65(4) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 — Admissibility — Descriptive character — Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation No 207/2009 — Relevant public

1.                     Community trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the Community trade mark — Absolute grounds for refusal — Marks devoid of any distinctive character — Exception — Acquisition of distinctiveness through use — Mark devoid of distinctive character in part of the Union — Acquisition of distinctive character in that same part (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(3)) (see para. 28)

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 50-53, 75)

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 — Assessment of the descriptive character of a sign (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(c)) (see paras 54, 55)

4.                     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 MÉDITATION TRANSCENDANTALE (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(c)) (see paras 62-93)

Re:

ACTION brought against the decision of the Second Board of Appeal of OHIM of 6 April 2011 (Case R 1294/2010-2), concerning an application for registration of the word sign MÉDITATION TRANSCENDANTALE as a Community trade mark.

Operative part

The Court:

1. Dismisses the action;

2. Orders Maharishi Foundation Ltd to pay the costs.