B9 11863. Gerecht EU, 21 november 2012, zaak T-338/11, Getty Images / OHMI (PHOTOS.COM).
Merkenrecht. Beroep tegen de weigering van het OHIM om de domeinnaam Photos.com in te schrijven als Gemeenschapswoordmerk voor aan fotografie gerelateerde waren en diensten. Dat het teken beschrijvend wordt geacht, ligt voor de hand, maar de aanvrager komt wel met een aardig verweer, kort gezegd: wat is nu een betere herkomstaanduiding dan een domeinnaam? Maar ook dat verweer wordt gepasseerd:
33. The applicant refers to the fact that the consumer merely has to enter the name of the sign at issue on any internet browser, without having to enter the internet address of its website, to be directed to its website www.photos.com and to have access to those goods and services. However, the applicant’s contention that this proves that the sign indicates the commercial origin of the goods and services offered on its website must be rejected as unfounded. The distinctive character of a mark which corresponds to a domain name cannot be assessed by reference to the steps taken by an internet user to access the goods or services covered by the trade mark application and available on the internet, but – as was pointed out in paragraph 17 above – by reference to the goods or services in respect of which registration is sought and to the perception of the relevant public. Besides, the applicant’s argument must be rejected in any event as ineffective in that it does not call into question the Board of Appeal’s assertion that the sign in itself does not enable the specific commercial origin of the goods and services covered to be identified, because the relevant public will perceive it as a source of information for goods related to photography which are accessible on the internet.
Lees het arrest hier.
