Judgment of the General Court (Seventh Chamber) of 3 December 2015

1. Community trade markAppeals procedureAction before the EU judicatureJurisdiction of the General CourtReview of the lawfulness of decisions of the Boards of AppealRe-examination of the facts in the light of evidence not previously submitted before OHIM bodiesNot included (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 65) (see para. 18)

2. Community trade markDefinition and acquisition of the Community trade markAbsolute grounds for refusalMarks devoid of any distinctive characterConceptCriteria for assessment (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(b)) (see paras 31, 32, 35)

3. Community trade markDefinition and acquisition of the Community trade markSigns of which a trade mark may consistColours or combinations of coloursConditionDistinctive character (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(b), and (3)) (see para. 33)

4. Community trade markDefinition and acquisition of the Community trade markAbsolute grounds for refusalMarks devoid of any distinctive characterSign composed of a basic geometric figure (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(b)) (see para. 34)

5. Community trade markSurrender, revocation and invalidityAbsolute grounds for invalidityRegistration contrary to Article 7(1)(b) of Regulation No 207/2009Figurative mark representing a red and white Vichy motif (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Arts 7(1)(b), and (2), and 52(1)(a)) (see paras 36, 45, 54, 55, 58, 66)

6. Community trade markAppeals procedureAction before the EU judicatureModification of the terms of the dispute as brought before the Board of AppealNot permissible (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 76) (see para. 48)

7. Community trade markDefinition and acquisition of the Community trade markAbsolute grounds for refusalSeparate examination of the various grounds for refusalInterpretation of the grounds for refusal in the light of the public interest underlying each of them (Council Regulation No 207/2009, Art. 7(1)(b) and (d)) (see para. 64)

Re:

ACTION brought against the decision of the Fourth Board of Appeal of OHIM of 3 March 2014 (Case R 1295/2012-4) concerning invalidity proceedings between Grupo Lactalis Iberia SA and Compagnie des fromages & Richesmonts.

Operative part

The Court:

1. Dismisses the action;

2. Orders Compagnie des fromages & Richesmonts to pay the costs.