Merkenrecht. Beroep tegen de weigering om het woordmerk „Flex” in te schrijven voor waren van klasse 10.
Het beroep wordt verworpen. Verzoekster stelt voor het GEU dat het woord "flex" niet "flexibel" betekent in het Engels. Het GEU volgt verzoeker niet hierin. Het woord ‘flex’ zal door het Engelssprekende publiek worden gezien als onderdeel van het woord ‘flexible’ of ‘flexibility’. Het woord "flex" zal daarom als verwijzing naar het fysieke comfort en het verstelbare karakter van de waren worden gezien, zowel met betrekking tot de vorm als het volume, waardoor het beschrijvend is.
21. Therefore, even if the word ‘flex’, when used as a noun or as a verb, may have the meanings referred to in paragraph 16 above, and even if it is, when used to mean ‘flexible’, regularly used as an affix in compound words, the word ‘flex’ must be regarded as the root or fundamental part of the word ‘flexible’ and can also exist as a short form of the latter. As the Board of Appeal therefore rightly held, ‘flex’ will be perceived by the relevant Anglophone public as meaning ‘flexible’ or invoking or making reference to the concept of ‘flexibility’ (see, to that effect, judgment of 16 March 2005 in L’Oréal v OHIM — Revlon (FLEXI AIR), T‑112/03, ECR, EU:T:2005:102, paragraph 78).
23. Contrary to the applicant’s submissions, the consumer, presented with hearing aids, will attribute to the word ‘flex’ the meaning of ‘flexible’ or of ‘flexibility’ and will understand it as a reference to the physical comfort and adjustable character, both as regards the physical shape and the volume, of those aids or of their accessories. That is the only meaning that makes sense within such a context, given that the ability to adapt to the shape of the user’s ear and the possibility of regulating the volume are very important and distinctive characteristics of a hearing aid. Therefore, the word ‘flex’ meaning ‘flexible’ or ‘flexibility’ for the consumer in the context of marketing the goods concerned may be understood, immediately and without further reflection, as a simple description of the characteristics of those goods. There is accordingly a sufficiently direct and specific link within the meaning of the case-law cited at paragraph 14 above. The Board of Appeal was, therefore, correct to hold that the mark sought was descriptive.
Lees het arrest hier.
