ARTICLE · 13 JUNE 2023

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La Difficile Distinctivité Des Marques Composées De Noms De Pays

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Dans ses décisions ICELAND, la Grande Chambre des Recours de l'EUIPO remet en avant les critères permettant de déterminer si une marque composée d'un nom géographique est ou non descriptive.

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Dans ses décisions ICELAND, la Grande Chambre des Recours de l'EUIPO remet en avant les critères permettant de déterminer si une marque composée d'un nom géographique est ou non descriptive. Elle confirme à cette occasion que si l'enregistrement de noms de pays à titre de marque n'est pas impossible, il reste néanmoins fortement restreint.

En 2002 et 2013, la chaîne de supermarchés britannique Iceland Foods Ltd. sollicite l'enregistrement des marques de l'Union européenne verbale et semi-figurative ICELAND et , qu'elle obtient en 2014.

La société s'appuie par la suite sur ces marques pour s'opposer à plusieurs demandes d'enregistrement contenant le terme « ICELAND ». L'on peut citer parmi celles-ci les marques ICE LAND, ICELANDER ou encore ICELAND GOLD, dont l'enregistrement a été refusé par les offices.

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