En zelfs dan is het nog niet duidelijk

B9 10474. OHIM, Cancellation Division, 29 november 2011, R.B. Europe GmbH tegen G-Star Raw C.V. (met dank aan Joris van Manen, Hoyng Monegier).

Merkenrecht. Het merk RAW van G-Star is naar mening van de Cancellation Division van het OHIM niet beschrijvend voor kleding. “The term ‘raw’ on its own, used in connection with the clothing, footwear, headgear and belts,  will just bring to mind its most common meanings, i.e. “uncooked, unprocessed, unfinished", which cannot be considered to be descriptive of the goods in question.” De nietigheidsactie (absolute gronden) slaagt derhalve niet. 

Aardige tegenstelling: Rb Den Haag, 25 november 2009: "Daarnaast betekent ‘raw’ rauw of onbewerkt. In beide betekenissen is het beschrijvend en kan het dienen tot aanduiding van de soort, kwaliteit, hoeveelheid of andere kenmerken van de waren en diensten." (3.4.3)

20. ln the light of the goods concerned in the present case and of the specific intended public (in particular, the English-speaking part of that public), it is considered that the term "raw” will not be understood, on its own, as having a clear descriptive meaning. As the applicant itself has argued, the adjective has a variety of meanings depending on the context, and in particular of the noun which follows it. The term “raw" on its own, used in connection with the clothing, footwear, headgear and belts, will just bring to mind its most common meanings, i.e. “uncooked, unprocessed, unfinished", which cannot be considered to be descriptive of the goods in question, which by definition are finished products. At most, the relevant consumer could consider, after some reflection, that the term might be suggestive or allusive to the kind of fabric used to make the goods (e.g. raw denim, raw cotton) or to a "rough” style, but even then it is not clear to which of these two different meanings it refers. In other words, the contested CTM does not enable the relevant public to establish a specific and direct relationship between the sign and the goods in question immediately, and without further thought.

Lees de beslissing hier.