Reports of Cases

2002 I-05475

Subject-matter

Preliminary ruling ─ Court of Appeal ─ Interpretation of Article 3(1) and (3), Article 5(1) and Article 6(1)(b) of First Council Directive 89/104/EEC of 21 December 1988 to approximate the laws of the Member States relating to trade marks ─ Signs of which a trade mark may consist ─ Sign consisting exclusively of a shape ─ Three-headed electric shaver

Systematic classification scheme

Citations of case-law or legislation

References in grounds of judgment

• Court of Justice - Rules of Procedure (1991) -A61 : paragraphs 17 - 22
• Directive 89/104 -A02 : paragraphs 5, 16, 32, 38, 39, 41, 47 - 50, 47
• Directive 89/104 -A03P1 : paragraph 1
• Directive 89/104 -A03P1LA : paragraphs 6, 16, 36 - 40
• Directive 89/104 -A03P1LB : paragraphs 6, 16, 23, 33 - 40, 75
• Directive 89/104 -A03P1LC : paragraphs 6, 16, 23, 33 - 40, 75
• Directive 89/104 -A03P1LD : paragraphs 6, 16, 23, 33 - 40, 75
• Directive 89/104 -A03P1LE : paragraphs 6, 16, 66, 74 - 84
• Directive 89/104 -A03P3 : paragraphs 1, 6, 16, 23, 34, 35, 40, 51, 57 - 65, 75
• Directive 89/104 -A04 : paragraphs 1, 7
• Directive 89/104 -A05P1 : paragraph 16
• Directive 89/104 -A06P1 : paragraph 8
• Directive 89/104 -A06P1LB : paragraphs 1, 16
• Directive 89/104 -C1 : paragraph 3
• Directive 89/104 -C3 : paragraph 4
• Directive 89/104 -C7 : paragraph 74
• Directive 89/104 -C10 : paragraph 29
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -349/95 : paragraph 30
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -210/96 : paragraph 63
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -39/97 : paragraph 30
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -108/97 : paragraphs 33 - 35, 60 - 62, 77, 80
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -270/97 : paragraph 20
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -53/01 : paragraph 17
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -54/01 : paragraph 17
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -55/01 : paragraph 17

Operative part

• Interprets : Directive 89/104 -A02
• Interprets : Directive 89/104 -A03P1LA
• Interprets : Directive 89/104 -A03P1LB
• Interprets : Directive 89/104 -A03P1LC
• Interprets : Directive 89/104 -A03P1LD
• Interprets : Directive 89/104 -A03P1LET2
• Interprets : Directive 89/104 -A03P3

Opinion

• Directive 89/104 -A02 : points 9, 46, 47
  
• Directive 89/104 -A03P1LA : point 9
  
• Directive 89/104 -A03P1LB : points 9, 12, 13, 16, 43
  
• Directive 89/104 -A03P1LC : points 9, 12, 14, 43, 50
  
• Directive 89/104 -A03P1LD : points 9, 12, 14, 43
  
• Directive 89/104 -A03P1LE : points 1, 9, 10, 16 - 42
  
• Directive 89/104 -A03P1LF : point 18
  
• Directive 89/104 -A03P1LG : point 18
  
• Directive 89/104 -A03P3 : points 9, 15, 17, 43, 44, 48, 49
  
• Directive 89/104 -A05P1 : points 9, 51
  
• Directive 89/104 -A06P1LB : point 9
  
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -108/97 : point 44
  

Dates

Date of the lodging of the application initiating proceedings

• 09/08/1999

Date of the Opinion

• 23/01/2001

Date of the hearing

Information not available

Date of delivery

18/06/2002

References

Publication in the Official Journal

Application: OJ C 299 from 16.10.1999, p.13

Judgment: OJ C 191 from 10.08.2002, p.1

Name of the parties

Philips

Notes on Academic Writings

1. Glöckner, Jochen: Technisch bedingte Zeichen und EG-Markenrecht, European Law Reporter 2002 p.334-339 (DE)
2. Grosheide, F. Willem: Intellectuele eigendom & Reclamerecht 2002 p.258-262 (NL)
3. Chapman, Simon: Trade marks for functional shapes: Comment on Philips v Remington (C-299/99), The European legal forum 2002 p.291-294 (EN)
4. Chapman, Simon: Marken für funktionale Merkmale: Eine Anmerkung zu der Entscheidung Philips/Remington (C-299/99), The European legal forum 2002 p.291-294 (DE)
5. Patruno, Luciano: Pietre preziose, rasoi elettrici e dolciumi: i dubbi risolti del consumatore trasformano il marchio in certezza, Diritto pubblico comparato ed europeo 2002 p.1753-1767 (IT)
6. Koutsouflianioti, Athanasia Th.: Elliniki Epitheorisi Evropaïkou Dikaiou 2002 p.730-733 (EL)
7. Monteagudo, Montiano: Los requisitos de validez de una marca tridimensional (Comentario a la Sentencia del TJCE de 18 de junio de 2002, asunto C-299/99, caso "Koninklijke Philips Electronics NV v. Remington Consumer Products Ltd."), Actas de derecho industrial y derecho de autor 2002 p.391-408 (ES)
8. Gielen, Ch.: Ars aequi 2003 p.46-49 (NL)
9. Speyart, H.M.H.: Philip's oud-vaderlandse scheerkoppen als toetssteen voor vormmerken, Nederlands tijdschrift voor Europees recht 2003 p.11-14 (NL)
10. Schaeffer, Michael: Der Einfluss der EuGH-Entscheidung "Philips/Remington" (C-299/99) auf die Markenfähigkeit (§ 3 Abs. 2 Ziffer 2 Markengesetz), Festschrift für Günther Eisenführ 2003 p.29-37 (DE)
11. Spoor, J.H.: Nederlandse jurisprudentie ; Uitspraken in burgerlijke en strafzaken 2003 nº 481 (NL)
12. Suthersanen, Uma: The European Court of Justice in Philips v Remington - Trade Marks and Market Freedom, Intellectual Property Quarterly 2003 p.257-283 (EN)
13. Würtenberger, Gert: Die Eintragungspraxis des DPMA und die Rechtsprechung des BPatG im Lichte der Rechtsprechung des EuGH, Gewerblicher Rechtsschutz und Urheberrecht 2003 p.912-919 (DE)
14. Verbruggen, Johan: Het scheerkoppenarrest van het Europese Hof van Justitie: het Hof slaat spijkers met koppen, Rechtskundig weekblad 2003-04 p.281-289 (NL)
15. Ullmann, Eike: Die Form einer Ware als Marke - Illusion oder Chance?, Neue juristische Wochenschrift (Sonderheft - 100 Jahre Markenverband) 2004 p.83-87 (DE)
16. Żelechowski, Łukasz: Zdolność odróżniająca znaku towarowego - przegląd orzecznictwa Sądu Najwyższego i Naczelnego Sądu Administracyjnego z lat 2000-2004, Glosa : Przegląd Prawa Gospodarczego 2005 Vol.3 p.74-97 (PL)
17. Schmitz, Stefan D.: Zur grafischen Darstellbarkeit von Hörmarken: EuGH contra Freiheit des markenrechtlichen Schutzes, Gewerblicher Rechtsschutz und Urheberrecht 2007 p.290-292 (DE)
18. Pinckaers, Bas: De techniekrestrictie in het modellenrecht en de relevantie van alternatieven, Een eigen, oorspronkelijk karakter : opstellen aangeboden aan prof. mr. Jaap H. Spoor (Ed. DeLex - Amsterdam) 2007 p.257-273 (NL)
19. Valladares, Luis Fernández-Novoa: The triple-headed rotary shavers battle. Trade marks for functional shapes., Willem Hoyng Litigator - 2013 p. 261-282 (EN)
20. Gielen, Ch.: Jurisprudentie Intellectuele Eigendom 1953-2014 (Ed. 2015 Ars Aequi Libri, Nijmegen) 2015 p.110-113 (NL)
21. Kováts Borbála, Lili: Grafikai ábrázolhatóság az európai uniós védjegyjogban, Iparjogvédelmi és Szerzői Jogi Szemle 2017 6. szám p.37-93 (HU)
22. Gielen, Ch.: Philips/Remington, Ars aequi 2019 p.111-115 (NL)

Procedural Analysis Information

Source of the question referred for a preliminary ruling

Court of Appeal (England & Wales) (Civil Division) - United Kingdom

Subject-matter

• Approximation of laws
  
• Intellectual, industrial and commercial property
  

Provisions of national law referred to

Trade Marks Act 1994, sections 1(1), 3(1) and (2), 9(1), 10(1), (2) and (4), 11(1) and (2), 56, and Schedule 3, para. 2

Trade Marks Act 1994, sections 1, 3, 9, 10, 11, 47 and 103

Provisions of international law referred to

Information not available

Procedure and result

• Reference for a preliminary ruling
  

Formation of the Court

Cour plénière (Cour)

Judge-Rapporteur

Macken

Advocate General

Ruiz-Jarabo Colomer

Language(s) of the Case

• English
  

Language(s) of the Opinion

• Spanish