Judgment of the General Court (Third Chamber) of 9 March 2015 —
ultra air v OHIM — Donaldson Filtration Deutschland (ultra.air ultrafilter)

(Case T‑377/13)

Community trade mark — Invalidity proceedings — Community word mark ultra.air ultrafilter — Absolute ground for refusal — Descriptiveness — Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 — Article 52(1)(a) of Regulation 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. 14)

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 15, 16)

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 ultra.air ultrafilter (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(c)) (see paras 17-25, 27)

4.                     Community trade mark — Decisions of the Office — Observance of the rights of the defence — Scope of the principle (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 75(1)) (see para. 32)

Re:

ACTION brought against the decision of the Fourth Board of Appeal of OHIM of 6 May 2013 (Case R 1100/2011‑4) concerning invalidity proceedings between Donaldson Filtration Deutschland GmbH and ultra air GmbH.

Operative part

The Court:

1. Annuls the decision of the Fourth Board of Appeal of the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (Trade Marks and Designs) (OHIM) of 6 May 2013 (Case R 1100/2011‑4) in so far as it concerns time control systems;

2. Dismisses the action as to the remainder;

3. Orders ultra air GmbH to bear its own costs and to pay the costs incurred by OHIM and by Donaldson Filtration Deutschland GmbH.