Judgment of the General Court (Third Chamber) of 4 June 2015 — Deluxe Laboratories v OHIM (deluxe)

(Case T‑222/14)

Community trade mark — Application for figurative Community mark deluxe — Absolute grounds for refusal — Lack of distinctiveness — Article 7(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 — Lack of descriptiveness — Article 7(1)(c) of Regulation No 207/2009 — Lack of distinctiveness acquired through use — Article 7(3) of Regulation No 207/2009 — Duty to state reasons — Article 75 of Regulation No 207/2009

1.                     Community trade mark — Procedural provisions — Statement of reasons for decisions — Article 75, first sentence, of Regulation No 207/2009 — Scope identical to that of Article 296 TFEU (Art. 296 TFEU; Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 75, first sentence) (see para. 13)

2.                     Community trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the Community trade mark — Absolute grounds for refusal — Separate examination of the grounds for refusal in relation to each of the goods or services covered by the application for registration — Obligation to state the reasons for refusing to register — Scope (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 7(1), and 75) (see paras 16, 17)

3.                     Community trade mark — Definition and acquisition of the Community trade mark — Absolute grounds for refusal — Marks devoid of any distinctive character — Assessment of distinctive character — Criteria (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(b)) (see para. 18)

Re:

ACTION brought against the decision of the Second Board of Appeal of OHIM of 22 January 2014 (Case R 1250/2013‑2) concerning an application for registration of the figurative sign deluxe as a Community trade mark.

Operative part

The Court:

1. Annuls the decision of the Second Board of Appeal of the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (Trade Marks and Designs) (OHIM) of 22 January 2014 (Case R 1250/2013‑2);

2. Orders OHIM to pay the costs.