Judgment of the General Court of 24 September 2019 — Crédit mutuel Arkéa v EUIPO — Confédération nationale du Crédit mutuel (Crédit Mutuel)

(Case T-13/18) (1)

(EU trade mark - Invalidity proceedings - EU word mark Crédit Mutuel - Absolute grounds for refusal - Descriptive character - No distinctive character - Distinctive character acquired through use - Cross-claim - Article 7(1)(b) and (c), and Article 7(3) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001 - Article 59(1)(a) and Article 59(2) of Regulation 2017/1001)

(2019/C 413/53)

Language of the case: French

Parties

Applicant: Crédit Mutuel Arkéa (Le Relecq Kerhuon, France) (represented by: A. Casalonga, L. Codevelle and C. Bercial Arias, lawyers)

Defendant: European Union Intellectual Property Office (represented by: D. Hanf, acting as Agent)

Other party to the proceedings before the Board of Appeal of EUIPO, intervener before the General Court: Confédération nationale du Crédit mutuel (Paris, France) (represented by: B. Moreau-Margotin and M. Merli, lawyers)

Re:

Action brought against the decision of the Fifth Board of Appeal of EUIPO of 8 November 2017 (Case R 1724/2016-5), relating to invalidity proceedings between Crédit Mutuel Arkéa and Confédération nationale du Crédit mutuel.

Operative part of the judgment

The Court:

1.

Annuls the decision of the Fifth Board of Appeal of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) of 8 November 2017 (Case R 1724/2016-5) in so far as it concludes that the contested mark acquired distinctive character through use for the goods and services for which it was descriptive and non-distinctive;

2.	Dismisses the action as to the remainder;

3.	Dismisses the cross-claim;

4.	Orders Crédit Mutuel Arkéa to bear a third of its own costs and to pay a third of the costs incurred by EUIPO and Confédération nationale du Crédit mutuel in the main action;

5.	Orders EUIPO to pay two thirds of its own costs and two thirds of the costs incurred by the applicant in the main action;

6.	Orders Confédération nationale du Crédit mutuel to bear two thirds of its own costs incurred in the main action and the costs incurred in the cross-claim.

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(1)  OJ C 94, 12.3.2018.