Ordonnance
COUR D’APPEL DE LA HAYE
Secteur commerce
Cause numéro : 200.022.937/01
ordonnance de la cinquième chambre civile du 26 janvier 2010
dans la cause de
la société de droit allemand ENBW ENERGIE BADEN-WUERTTENBERG AG,
dont le siège est à Karlsruhe, Allemagne,
requérante,
dénommée ci-après: EnBW,
avocat : Me P.J.M. Steinhauser à Amsterdam,
contre
l’ORGANISATION BENELUX DE LA PROPRIETE INTELLECTUELLE (MARQUES ET DESSINS OU MODELES)
et son organe L’OFFICE BENELUX DE LA PROPRIÉTÉ INTELLECTUELLE),
dont le siège est à La Haye,
défendeur,
dénommé ci-après: l’Office,
représentants ex art. 2.12 alinéa 2 CBPI: MM. C.J.P. Janssen et P. Veeze.
La procédure
Par requête parvenue au greffe de la cour le 20 janvier 2009, EnBW a demandé à la cour d’ordonner à l’Office de procéder à l’enregistrement du signe THE POWER PIONEERS, déposé comme marque internationale entre autres pour le Benelux comme marque verbale pour les produits et services pour lesquels il est déposé, du moins pour certains de ces produits et services, dépens comme de droit.
Par mémoire en défense parvenu au greffe de la cour le 16 mars 2009, l’Office a demandé de rejeter la requête de EnBW et de condamner EnBW aux dépens.
La procédure orale sur la requête a eu lieu le 8 juin 2009. Les parties ont fait exposer à cette occasion leurs points de vue, EnBW par Me Steinhauser et l’Office par M. Veeze. A cette occasion, EnBW a déposé un acte par lequel elle a modifié sa demande subsidiaire et produit quelques pièces supplémentaires.
Appréciation du recours
1. Les pièces de la procédure et les allégations des parties font apparaître ce qui suit :
a. EnBW a effectué le 19 janvier 2006 le dépôt international, entre autres pour le Benelux, de la marque verbale THE POWER PIONEERS pour les produits et services suivants :
04
Technical oils and greases; lubricants; dust absorption, dust wetting and dust bonding agents; fuels (incl. motor fuels) and luminous materials; candles, wicks; gases as fuels; liquefied gases, industrial gases; liquefied and compressed gas.
06
Door chains; window handles with additional lock; lateral hinge safety device for windows; safety hardware; safety rosettes; safety striking plates; mechanical forced locking; protective plates for doors and windows; safety chains; mechanical break open catches; mechanical safety devices, especially safety devices for blinds; cellar shaft safety devices; cellar window safety devices; cellar safety gratings; locks (except electric locks), especially padlocks; long shackle type connectors, cable locks, helix cable locks; mortise locks; padlocks; armoured bolt locks; chain locks; additional case locks; alarm door locks; long shackle type connectors; all above mentioned goods out of metal.
07
Machines, namely automatic filling machines, heel production machines, suction machines for industrial purposes, separators (machines), painting machines, drive mechanisms except for land crafts, ash screens (machines), draught frames, mining machines, concrete mixing plants, binding machines, tin printing machines, drilling machines, crushers, comminution machines, stampers (machines), steam engines, compressed air machines, printing machines, wrapping machines, electromechanical machines for the chemical industry, degreasing machines, earth movers, crude oil refining machines, ore dressing machines, moulding machines, milling machines, dyeing machines, hoisting machines, filling machines, blowers, screw taps, thread cutters, foundry machines, glass processing machines, railway track machinery, ditch excavation machines, engraving machines, electric hand drills, stapling machines, planing machines, adjusting machines, kneading machines, agricultural machines, chisel machines, knife grinding machines, metal working machines, riveting machines, paper production machines, polishing machines and apparatus (electric), embossing machines, straightening machines, stirring machines, tracklaying machines, grinding machines, cutting machines, welding machines (electric), screening machines, sorting machines for industrial purposes, dish washers, stone shaping machines, franking machines, road making machines, tobacco processing machines, tar spraying machines, dividing machines, typographical machines, whitewashing machines, packaging machines, washing machines, hosiery machines, centrifugal machines, comminution machines for industrial purposes, cutting machines and machine tools; motors (except motors for land crafts); clutches and devices for power transmission (except those for land crafts); not manually operated agricultural devices; incubators for eggs; electrical food processors including domestic electrical blending mixers (included in this class); installations for energy generation, namely wind power generators, machine driven hand tools; installations for energy generation mainly comprising dynamos and/or electric generators and/or current generators and/or turbines (except for land crafts), hydraulic turbines or AC generators; crude oil refining machines; gas cleaning devices.
09
Scientific, nautical, surveying, photographic, cinematographic, optical, weighing, measuring, signalling, controlling, life-saving and teaching apparatus and instruments; apparatus and instruments for conducting, switching, transforming, storing, regulating and controlling electricity; electric measuring devices and instruments; magnetic recording carriers, disk records; automatic vending machines and mechanisms for coin operated machines; cash registers; calculating machines; software, data processing equipment and computers; web pads; electric devices and products of information and communication technology (included in this class); electric devices, hardware and software for remote operation and remote control of devices and installations in the domestic field and in the garden; electronic computer networks (included in this class); electronic hotel guides; electric devices, hardware and software for the purpose of detecting functional defects (also by remote diagnosis) as well as of data transmission regarding such functional defects and the repair of such functional defects on domestic appliances and installations as well as in the garden (included in this class); fire-extinguishing apparatus; alarm systems; domestic safeguarding devices (alarm systems); burglar alarm systems; safety cameras; devices for reception, recording, transmission, processing, output and reproduction of data, speech, text, signals, sound and video; sound carriers, sound video carriers (except unexposed films), data carriers; coded phone cards; sound recording devices, phototelegraphic devices, sound and video reception devices, TV sets, telephones, remote controls, transmitting and receiving sets, radio telegraphy sets, magnetic tape recorders for data processing, electric measuring instruments, monitors for computer hardware, computer peripherals, photocopying apparatus and machines (incl. electronic and thermal devices and machines), CD players, projecting apparatus, video recorders, transmitters for electronic signals, video games as attachments for TV sets, make contacts, ammeters, circuit breakers, electric loss indicators, current transformers, commutators, fax machines, telecopiers, electric temperature indicators, audio amplifiers, sound reproduction units, telephone transmission apparatus, surveying apparatus and instruments, distribution cabinets for electricity, distribution panels for electricity, thermal control apparatus, electric counters, electric totalizers, time recording devices, time switches (not for clockworks); other electric counting devices; installations for energy generation, mainly comprising electric fuel cells; gasometers; electrochemical fuel cells for power generation; photovoltaic installations for power generation; gas checking devices (included in this class).
11
Devices for lighting, heating, steam generation, cooking, refrigeration, drying, ventilation and water conduits as well as sanitary installations; electrochemical fuel cells for heat generation; photovoltaic installations for heat generation; fittings for gas and natural gas, namely gas meters, gas pressure controllers as well as gas mask canisters, natural gas preheaters, safety shut-off valves and blow-off valves for gas pressure controllers; gas burners, gas producers, gas lighters, gas lamps, gas boilers, gas condensers (except machine parts), wet gas scrubbers (parts of gas installations), control and safety accessories for gas units as well as for gas conduits and water devices, freezing cupboards and chest freezers; electric lamps; air conditioning systems, air conditioning apparatus; light distributors, tubular lamps for lighting purposes; fittings, devices and installation material for liquefied gas plants, refrigerating sets and refrigerators; installations for energy generation, namely gas generators.
12
Vehicles; apparatus for locomotion by land, air or water.
16
Paper, cardboard and goods made out of such materials (included in this class); printer's products; bookbinding articles; photographs; stationery; adhesives for stationery or for household purposes; artists' supplies, paint brushes; typewriters and office supplies (except furniture); instructional and teaching material (except apparatus); packaging material out of plastic material (included in this class); printers' type; printing blocks; maps; atlases; hotel guides; printed products with information on installation work, repair services, handcraft services, plant engineering services, lock and key services, caretaker services, home help services, gardening services, services in the field of house and real estate administration, building and real estate business, technical and commercial building management; adhesive labels; labelled or print foils (decalcomanias) to stick on, label or decorate walls, windows, vehicles and other surfaces and objects; office supplies, namely notepads (card blocks), card boxes, ball-pens, displays made of cardboard, recipe collections, printing blocks and artwork, refreshing tissues (out of paper), packing bags (out of plastic); phone cards (uncoded).
17
Foils for the production of labelled or decorated surfaces.
19
Building materials (non-metallic); non-metallic rigid pipes for building; asphalt, pitch and bitumen; non-metallic transportable buildings; monuments, not of metal.
32
Beers; mineral waters and waters containing carbon dioxide and other soft drinks; fruit drinks and fruit juices; syrups and other preparations for making beverages.
35
Advertising; business management; company administration; office work; marketing of products and services of public energy and water utilities by business consultation, market research, public relations, organisation of exhibitions and trade fairs for advertising purposes, distribution of samples and presentation of goods for advertising purposes and by advertising; marketing of telecommunication networks including the services which are based upon telecommunication networks for the transmission of speech, data and images as well as of multimedia value-added services by business consultation, market research, public relations, organisation of exhibitions and trade fairs for advertising purposes, distribution of samples and presentation of goods for advertising purposes and by advertising; business consultation, market research, public relations, planning and execution of events in the field of public relations for the advertising of products for the cathodic corrosion protection; organisation of exhibitions and trade fairs for advertising purposes, distribution of samples and presentation of goods for advertising purposes and by advertising; realisation of multimedia advertising presentations; management of installations for energy generation and distribution; procurement of personnel for building management services; bookkeeping with respect to building management measures; compilation, preparation and systematisation of data in computer data bases; file management by means of computers; service of a price agency, namely determination of prices for goods and/or services; services of a multimedia agency, namely planning and organisation of advertising measures, presentation of companies on the Internet and in other media; execution of auctions, also in the Internet; supply order service, invoice settlement for electronic ordering systems, goods and services presentation; brokerage and renting of advertising surfaces, also on the Internet; providing of trade and offer contacts via the Internet; providing of trade contacts on the Internet; advertising on the Internet for third parties; organisational and business consultation services in the fields of energy, fuel cells, wind power installations and photovoltaic installations; energy consultation for households, trade and industry (included in this class); marketing services, namely marketing of new technologies, especially in the environmental and energy field; arrangement of commercial transactions and contracts for third parties, especially arrangement of contracts for third parties on transportation capacities and transportation services by means of power grids, also within the scope of e-commerce; organisational and business consultation in the energy field; preparation of cost-price-analyses in the field of building management; consumer consultation, also online, with respect to goods of daily use, luxury and utility articles, as well as with respect to goods and services for commercial and industrial use; craftsmen search and providing services, also online; expertise preparation on organisational and business questions with respect to energy, water, waste water and lighting equipment; business consultation in trade promotion; human resources, namely providing, recruitment, selection, management consulting of personnel, providing of temporary staff; organisational and business consultation in connection with energy-saving measures and in connection with the optimisation of heating systems; providing of personnel for the operation of power stations, especially hydropower stations, nuclear power stations, coal-fired power station, gas and
steam turbine power stations, cogeneration systems, combined heating and power stations, heating stations, refuse incineration plants, energy-from-waste plants, hydropower and wind power stations, photovoltaic installations and transformer stations; providing of personnel for the energy management, namely management of energy generation and distribution plants; providing of personnel for the operation of distribution and transportation networks; providing of personnel for the operation of workshops; providing of personnel for the operation of sewage treatment plants; providing of personnel for the operation and maintenance of telecommunication networks; providing of personnel for the operation of electric street lighting systems; providing of personnel for the waste treatment plants; personnel leasing, namely providing of personnel for the installation, repair and maintenance of heating facilities, air conditioning systems, ventilation systems, sanitary facilities, management and control systems; temporary transfer of personnel; procurement of spare parts for third parties as well as procurement of technical and other consumables such as for example cleansing agents and toilet paper in connection with the maintenance and servicing of buildings; reading of electrical counters and meters for current, gas and water for third parties; heat consumption reading and accounting for the supply of heat for heating purposes from other companies; data management by means of computers; gas consumption reading and accounting for the supply of gas from other companies; brokerage of advertisements; updating of Internet contents.
36
Insurance, effecting insurance (especially standard automobile public liability insurance, automobile personal liability and property-damage insurance and comprehensive coverage excluding collision), settlement of claims (insurance); finance, monetary transactions, real estate business; electronic capital transfer; home banking; telebanking, namely online settlement of banking transactions; financial consultation regarding investment of risk capital; leasing of transport networks for energy transmission; building management, namely renting of buildings; financial consulting services in the fields of energy, fuel cells, wind power plants and photovoltaic installations; financial energy consultation; development of integral energy concepts with respect to finance; financial consultation with respect to energy-saving measures and with respect to the optimisation of heating systems; financial services; house and real estate administration; building administration; caretaker services (included in this class); financing of measures in connection with land development; financing consultation and financial planning in the field of building management; automobile leasing, financing of the acquisition of automobiles; real estate transactions of any type; granting of monetary loans and negotiation of loans; financial promotion of the development as well as of the testing of electrically driven off-track vehicles; financial participation in innovative and technology-oriented enterprises; financial consultation in the field of production of electric and thermal energy.
37
Building trade, namely construction of waste treatment plants, construction of power stations, especially hydroelectric power stations, nuclear power stations, coal-fired power stations, gas and steam turbine power stations, combined heating and power stations, heating stations; construction of landfill gas-fired power stations and natural gas/solar heat plants; construction of solar power stations, wind power stations, hydropower stations, biogas power stations; construction of power stations, especially hydropower stations, nuclear power stations, coal-fired power stations, gas and steam turbine power stations, cogeneration systems, combined heating and power stations, heating stations, refuse incineration plants, energy-from-waste plants, hydropower and wind power stations, photovoltaic installations and transformer stations; installation work; repair business, namely repair of network systems, energy networks, waste treatment plants, power stations, irrigation plants, alarm systems, electrical appliances, heating, air conditioning systems, refrigerators, telephones, stoves, office machines, machines, pumps, locks and automobiles; repair of data systems technology plants; network management, namely installation and maintenance of network systems (hardware); realisation (construction) and installation of distribution and transport networks as well as of
transformer stations; construction of pipeline networks; construction and maintenance of energy generation and distribution plants, fuel cells, wind power stations and photovoltaic installations; maintenance of energy, fresh water and waste water plants and networks; realisation (construction) of cathodic corrosion protection plants; construction and maintenance of waste water and fresh water plants; technical building management, namely maintenance of buildings; cleaning of facades; installation of electric counters and meters for current, gas and water; plant engineering services, namely assembly, installation, maintenance, servicing, renovation, modernisation, expansion, conversion, rehabilitation and repair work of waste water and fresh water plants, conduits and other installations for their feeding and discharge, sanitary installations, heating, ventilation and air-conditioning plants, industrial plants, mechanical equipment and their parts, technical devices, installations and apparatus for the safeguarding of buildings, plants, transportation means, domestic appliances, consumer electronics and information technology equipment as well as photovoltaic plants, utility service lines (e.g. gas and electricity), buildings and their parts; installation, maintenance and servicing of heat production, heat transport and heat distribution plants including meters for third parties; construction of gas plants, especially liquefied gas plants; construction of gas storage plants; construction and servicing of gas transport lines plus related installations, especially mixing, measuring and control stations as well as stations for transfer of gas, storage plants and telecommunication plants; services in the field of the repair business, namely repair of data systems technology plants, network systems, distribution and transportation networks, waste treatment plants, power stations, energy generation and distribution plants, waste water and fresh water plants and networks, buildings, sanitary facilities, heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, industrial plants, mechanical equipment and their parts, technical equipment and electric street lighting systems; maintenance and repair of filling stations for gaseous fuels; maintenance and repair of gas operated motor vehicles; cellular phone repairs; network management, namely installation and maintenance of network systems; maintenance of data systems technology plants; realisation (construction) of web stations; realisation (construction) and maintenance of electric street lighting; realisation (construction) of the supply and disposal infrastructure (lines and pipes for current, gas, water as well as for data, drains and sewerage system) in the development of building sites; road construction; cleaning of building (inside and outside); repair, maintenance and servicing of automobiles including performance of the required inspections and checks; repair of motor vehicle fleets; cleaning of vehicles; installation of fixed network connections; construction, realisation (construction) and maintenance of cable infrastructures, wide area networks (WAN), local area networks (LAN), telecommunication systems, building installations and special networks, fire detection systems, detection systems and other media technology equipment; construction and maintenance of telecommunication networks with the integrated transmission method and switching including attributed network management; construction and installation of distribution and transportation networks; construction of sewage treatment plants; construction of telecommunication systems, electroacoustic plants, transmitting and receiving sets, common antenna installations; installation and repair of transmitting and receiving sets, mainly comprising transmitter-receivers, antenna masts and radio receivers; installation and repair of common antenna installations, mainly comprising receiver antennae for radio and TV signals, antenna wire and wiring; realisation (construction) of consumer installations (for gas/natural gas, local heating, cold); construction of air conditioning systems; services of a painter; installation and maintenance work within the scope of services of an electrical fitter, sanitary fitter, joiner, concrete worker, well digger, tiler, building constructor, road engineer, heat insulation worker, low temperature insulation worker, sound insulation worker, carpenter, electromechanic, heating and ventilation fitter, refrigerating plants' fitter, car mechanic, shopwindow constructor, fitter, plumber, all above mentioned services (included in this class); cleaning of apartments and buildings; ironing of laundry; furniture assembly and disassembly service; domestic automation, namely installation, repair and maintenance of heating systems, air conditioning systems, ventilation systems, sanitary facilities, management and control systems, each also by remote control; installation of apparatus and devices for remote operation and remote control of apparatus and devices in the domestic field and in the garden; repair business, namely detection of functional defects (also by remote diagnosis) and removal of such functional defects on domestic appliances and installations as well as in the garden.
38
Operation of telecommunication networks with the integrated transmission method and switching including attributed network management; providing access to a world-wide computer network; providing of Internet access (software) and hence to texts, images, audio-visual offers, multimedia offers, databases and computer programmes on the Internet; providing of Internet accesses (software); e-mail data services; data transfer on the Internet; connecting of Internet domains and e-mail addresses in computer networks; online services, namely transfer of messages, images and information of any type whatsoever; web messaging, namely forwarding of messages of any type to Internet addresses; consultation for telecommunications technology; providing telecommunication connections with a world-wide computer network; interactive videotex; telex services; broadcasting of television programmes and sound broadcast transmissions; telephone service; broadcasting of cable television programmes; communication by fibreoptic networks; line, routing and connection services for telecommunications; mobile radiocommunications service; collection and delivery of messages; transmission of messages; transmission of messages and images by means of computers; electronic message transfer; renting of devices for message transmission; paging by radio broadcasting, telephone or by any other means of electronic communication; services of a press agency, especially collecting and delivery of press reports; broadcasting of sound broadcast transmissions; satellite transmission; telephone service; telegraph service; telegraphing; telegram service; telegram transmission; information on telecommunications; telephone conference services; telecopying service; renting of telecommunication devices, especially of facsimile machines, modems, telephones; providing access to information in data networks; cellular phone lending and providing of stand-by cellular phones; Internet by call, namely providing of access to the Internet by separate dial-up into a network and separate invoicing without the necessity of a permanent contractual obligation with the network provider; operation of chatlines, chatrooms and discussion forums on the Internet; data transmission via power grids (powerline); renting of fixed network connections; preselection telephony; call-by-call telephony; providing access to an e-commerce platform on the Internet; providing access to Internet portals for third parties; providing of access to portals and platforms on the Internet; providing access to electronic information, communication and transaction platforms on the Internet; providing and renting of access times to databases with search and polling possibilities.
39
Transportation; packing, storage and delivery of goods of any type whatsoever; organisation of travels; distribution of fresh water; providing of transport networks for transmission of energy for third parties for a consideration (included in this class); distribution of gas, heat for heating purposes and energy, especially current, water, heat (local and district heat), cold, especially to industrial customers, as well as supply to third parties by delivery of current, gas, water, heat (local and district heat) and cold; renting of cars; collection, storage, dumping and transport of refuse; waste water disposal; logistics services on the transport sector; moving services, especially renting of vehicles for moving services; logistics services with respect to moving; transportation of goods and individuals with ships and automobiles; towing away of automobiles within the scope of the automobile roadway repair service; performance of moving services; transportation of goods by truck; providing of parking and store space for third parties by parking space services and renting of parking space; operation of parking garages; administration of motor vehicle fleets; storage of spare parts for third parties as well as of technical and other consumables such as for example cleansing agents and toilet paper in connection with the maintenance and servicing of buildings; transportation of cellular phone for repair purposes
(cellular phone repair pick-up service); distribution of fuels, especially distribution of gaseous fuels by means of pipelines, storage of fuels, especially in underground pore and cavern reservoirs; supply and distribution of gas; delivery of gas to consumers; transfer of gas, transport and distribution of heat generated by natural gas; heat transport and heat distribution plants; storage of liquefied natural gas; transport, storage and supply of energy by means of power grids; distribution of current and other energy volumes in power grids according to demand; transport of gases and liquids, especially of natural gas by means of power grids, also by subcontractors as well as services in connection with the transport of gases and liquids, procurement of transport capacities in third party power grids; storage of gas, especially liquefied gas for third parties; filling of gas into containers for third parties; operation of filling stations for gaseous fuels, namely fuelling of vehicles; hiring out of vending machines for gas.
40
Material processing; technical treatment of water and waste water; waste water disposal by waste water treatment; fresh water treatment; refuse recycling; recycling and disposal of refuse by compost preparation, chemical transformation, treatment, destruction and combustion; thermal disposal; destruction of refuse; generation of energy and heat (local and district heat); generation of energy by the operation of fuel cells, wind power plants and photovoltaic plants; exhaust air purification; refuse incineration; key copying services; preparation of gas, especially natural gas and petroleum gas; gas treatment, especially liquefied gas treatment, for third parties; chemical processing for the production of liquefied gas; production of heat from natural gas; hiring out of heat production.
41
Education, training; execution of training courses; sporting and cultural activities; entertainment, also on the Internet; hiring out of entertainment companies; performance of games, also online; issuing of publishing and printer's products in electronic form, also in intranets and on the Internet; personnel training; planning and execution of educational events; operation of public swimming pools for entertainment and sporting purposes; digital imaging.
42
Scientific and technological services and research work and designer services in this respect; services of an engineer for gas, water and district heat networks; industrial analysis and research services; design and development of computer hardware and software; legal advice and representation; weather forecast, also online; scientific and industrial research and development; environmental services, namely environmentally related consultation, technical development of concepts for the environmental risk management; technical planning, technical management of refuse treatment plants and gas storage plants; technical consultation and technical activity of an expert; building and construction planning and consultation; energy management, namely technical management of energy generation and distribution plants by providing technical know-how; technical management of power stations, especially hydroelectric power stations, nuclear power stations, coal-fired power stations, gas and steam turbine power stations, combined heating and power stations, heating stations, refuse incineration plants, energy-from-waste plants, hydropower and wind power stations, photovoltaic installations and transformer stations, solar power stations, wind power stations and biogas power stations; providing the technical know-how for the technical operation of distribution and transportation networks, workshops, refuse treatment plants as well as of transformer stations by providing technical know-how; technical planning and technical operation of electric street lighting systems, of sewage treatment plants and of air conditioning systems; technical operation of telecommunication networks; services of an engineer, especially providing of services of an engineer for installations of transformation and application of energy and gas; technical building management (included in this class); technical planning of waste water and fresh water systems; technical planning of energy systems; technical and ecological consulting services in the energy field, especially technical energy consulting for households, trade and industry; technical consulting in connection with energy-saving measures and in connection with the optimisation of heating systems; energy management, namely technical consultation and planning of energy generation and distribution plants, fuel cells, wind power plants and photovoltaic installations; technical planning and technical operation of gas transport lines plus related installations, especially mixing, measuring and control stations as well as stations for transfer of gas, storage plants and telecommunication plants; technical consultation, planning and technical management of energy generation and distribution systems, fuel cells, wind power plants and photovoltaic plants; technical management of waste water and fresh water plants as well as of lighting systems and plants for gas supply; expertise preparation on technical questions with respect to energy, water, waste water and lighting equipment; development of integral energy concepts on a technical and ecological level (consultation on environmental protection and technical energy consultation); acceptance and granting of licenses; acceptance, execution and granting of research and development orders; research and development, especially in the field of environmental technology; services in all fields of energy and water management and supply, namely preparation of energy management analyses and technical concepts taking into consideration ecology and infrastructure; technical development of infrastructure plans; technical measurements of current and natural gas; provision and renting of gas, current and water meters; technical water laboratory services; development of software architectures, modules and interfaces for electronic and electrotechnical equipment, component parts and systems; services in the field of forestry and agriculture, namely forestation research, biological research concerning integrated plant cultivation, research concerning manuring and harvest; technical promotion of the development as well as testing of electrically driven off-track vehicles; technical consultation on, technical planning and operation (by providing of technical know-how) of cathodic corrosion protection of pipelines; technical planning and technical consultation with respect to cathodic corrosion protection of pipeline networks; technical operation of cathodic corrosion protection plants; technical planning, inspection and design planning of pipeline networks; technical operation of street lighting equipment (included in this class); providing of services of an engineer for plants of transformation and application of energy and gas; preparation of technical concepts for house building planning; services of a surveying office; preparation of construction drawings; technical participation in innovative and technology oriented enterprises as well as licensing of know-how and industrial property rights; technical planning and technical operation of refuse treatment plants, landfill gas-fired power stations and natural gas/solar heat plants; technical planning of telecommunication networks with integrated transmission method and switching including attributed network management; services of a communication technician, especially with respect to audio-visual media such as video pages and video boards (included in this class); technical operation of geographical information systems; technical inspection of equipment, machines and plants of any type; network management, namely installation and maintenance of network systems (software); technical operation of cable infrastructures, wide area networks (WAN), local area networks (LAN), telecommunication systems, building installations and special networks, fire detection systems, detection systems and other media technology equipment; maintenance of Internet portals (software) for third parties; providing consulting services on the use of search engines to Internet users through a hotline service; technical consulting through hotline services; technical preparation of multimedia presentations by software programmes; consultation concerning the design of homepages and Internet pages; services of a data base, namely operation of search engines for the Internet; preparation and design of websites and parts of websites on the Internet by means of computer-generated images and sounds (computer animations); server administration; consultation for telecommunication technology; providing of computer programmes in data networks; electronic data storage for third parties; design of homepages and web sites; services of an Internet agency, namely planning and maintenance of Internet contents, hardware and software consultation, implementation of EDP programmes in network structures as well as digital storage of software, data, images, audio and/or video information; renting of data carriers with software, data, images, audio and/or video information stored on such data carriers (included in this class); services of a certification authority (trust center), namely issuance and administration of digital codes and/or digital signatures; renting of web servers; providing of memory space on the Internet; licensing of software; technical consultation concerning the Internet; verification of digital signatures; introduction of websites on the Internet for third parties (webhosting); development of software for Internet and Intranet applications; providing of programmes for the creation of Internet pages and computer programmes; award, registration and administration of domain names and e-mail addresses; scientific and technological consultation for refuse disposal; consultation in communications technology, technical consultation in the field of geographical information systems; technical management of energy, water and waste water plants and networks; technical operation of distribution networks; preparation of technical concept and project studies in the field of gas technology, especially in the field of gas transport and gas application; preparation of programmes for data processing, especially programmes in the field of gas transport and gas application as well as in the field of providing of energy supply contracts; technical consultation in the field of production of electric and thermal energy; planning of gas plants, especially liquefied gas plants; services in the field of forestry and agriculture, namely forestation research, biological research as well as research concerning manuring and harvest; plant engineering services, namely design, of waste water and fresh water plants, conduits and other installations for their feeding and discharge, sanitary installations, heating, ventilation and air-conditioning plants, industrial plants, mechanical equipment and their parts, technical devices, installations and apparatus for the safeguarding of buildings, plants, transportation means, domestic appliances, consumer electronics and information technology equipment as well as photovoltaic plants, utility service lines (e.g. gas and electricity), buildings and their parts; hiring out of measuring apparatus and instruments (included in class 42), in particular gas meters, air pressure meters, electricity meters, voltage meters and meters for heat consumption.
43
Services for providing food and drink; temporary accommodation; operation of kitchens, canteens and restaurants; providing food and drink for employees and guests in canteens and casinos within the scope of enterprises, authorities and other public institutions.
44
Gardening services; services in the field of forestry and agriculture, namely forestation consultation, biological consultation on integrated plant cultivation, consultation on manuring and harvest, consultation on livestock husbandry.
45
Personal and social services rendered by others to meet the needs of individuals; security services for the protection of property and individuals; services for the private household, namely cooking, shopping and child care; services in the field of domestic safeguarding; services of a security company; guarding of real estate.
Ensuite, le dépôt a été limité à deux reprises, sur requête de l’office du pays d’origine, le Patent- und Markenamt allemand, en ce qui concerne un certain nombre de produits et services dans les classes 7, 9, 37, 42 et 44.
b. Par lettre du 4 mars 2008, l’Office a communiqué à l’OMPI son intention de refuser l’enregistrement parce que le signe THE POWER PIONEERS est descriptif et dépourvu de caractère distincif (article 2.11, alinéa 1er, sous b et c CBPI).
c. Par lettre du 11 avril 2008, les mandataires de EnBW ont répondu à l’avis de refus provisoire. EnBW a contesté que le signe soit descriptif et dépourvu de caractère distinctif. Elle a demandé à l’Office “de revoir le refus provisoire et d’effectuer quand même l’enregistrement de la marque THE POWER PIONEERS dans le registre Benelux.” La lettre dit par ailleurs :
"Nous ne comprenons d’ailleurs pas bien pourquoi l’Office a refusé la marque pour tous les produits et services. Si la marque était descriptive (ce que nous contestons), la marque n’est très certainement pas descriptive de la majeure partie des produits/services revendiqués dans les classes 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12, 16, 17, 19, 32, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44 et 45. Comment la marque THE POWER PIONEERS peut-elle être descriptive par exemple pour “door chains; window handles with additional lock” en classe 6 ou “Building materials (non-metallic)” en classe 19?. Mais même si l’on affirme que la marque est certainement tout à fait distinctive pour une partie substantielle des produits, le nœud de cette affaire reste que la marque est également distinctive pour les produits liés à “énergie”."
d. L’Office a répondu à la réponse précitée par une lettre du 13 mai 2008 dans laquelle il a communiqué que le demandeur doit démontrer pourquoi le motif de refus n’est pas valable pour certains produits et services spécifiques et qu’il appartient au déposant d’apporter des limitations éventuelles. Par la suite, par lettre de ses mandataires du 9 juillet 2008, EnBw a réitéré sa réponse à l’avis de refus tout en ne revenant plus sur sa thèse que la marque n’est (en tout cas) pas descriptive pour une partie des produits/services revendiqués. L’Office y a répondu de nouveau par lettre du 25 août 2008.
e. Par lettre du 20 novembre 2008 aux mandataires de EnBW, l’Office a communiqué sa décision portant refus définitif de l’enregistrement.
2. Pour étayer sa demande, EnBW affirme dans sa requête que le signe THE POWER PIONEERS n’est pas descriptif des produits et services pour lesquels il est déposé, du moins (comprend la cour) pour un (grand) nombre de ces produits et services tels que précisés dans l’annexe 9 de sa demande par acte.
3. L’article 2.11 CBPI dispose :
1. L'Office refuse d'enregistrer une marque lorsqu'il considère que:
(…)
b. la marque est dépourvue de caractère distinctif;
c. la marque est composée exclusivement de signes ou d'indications pouvant servir, dans le commerce, pour désigner l'espèce, la qualité, la quantité, la destination, la valeur, la provenance géographique ou l'époque de la production du produit ou de la prestation du service, ou d'autres caractéristiques de ceux-ci;
(…).
4. La CJCE a relevé, notamment dans ses arrêts du 4 mai 1999, NJ 2000, 269 (en cause Chiemsee) et du 12 février 2004, NJ 2006, 531 (en cause Postkantoor), l’intérêt général qui sous-tend la disponibilité de certains signes.
Dans ce dernier arrêt, la cour a considéré entre autres :
« 53. (…) que, aux termes de l'article 3, paragraphe 1, sous c), de la directive, sont refusées à l'enregistrement les marques composées exclusivement de signes ou d'indications pouvant servir dans le commerce pour désigner des caractéristiques des produits ou des services pour lesquels cet enregistrement est demandé.
54. Ainsi que la Cour l'a déjà jugé (…), l'article 3, paragraphe 1, sous c), de la directive poursuit un but d'intérêt général, lequel exige que de tels signes ou indications puissent être librement utilisés par tous. Cette disposition empêche, dès lors, que lesdits signes ou indications soient réservés à une seule entreprise en raison de leur enregistrement en tant que marque.
55. En effet, cet intérêt général implique que tous les signes ou indications pouvant servir à désigner des caractéristiques des produits ou services pour lesquels l'enregistrement est demandé soient laissés à la libre disposition de toutes les entreprises afin qu'elles puissent les utiliser en décrivant les mêmes caractéristiques de leurs propres produits. Les marques composées exclusivement de tels signes ou indications ne peuvent donc faire l'objet d'un enregistrement (…).
(…)
57. Il est indifférent qu'existent d'autres signes ou indications plus usuels que ceux composant ladite marque pour désigner les mêmes caractéristiques des produits ou services mentionnés dans la demande d'enregistrement. (…)
58. De même, il n'est pas déterminant que le nombre de concurrents pouvant avoir intérêt à utiliser les signes ou les indications dont la marque est composée soit ou non important. En effet, tout opérateur proposant actuellement, ainsi que tout opérateur susceptible de proposer dans l'avenir, des produits ou des services concurrents de ceux pour lesquels l'enregistrement est demandé doit pouvoir utiliser librement les signes ou indications pouvant servir à décrire des caractéristiques de ses produits ou services.
97. Il n'est d'ailleurs pas nécessaire que les signes ou indications composant la marque visés à l'article 3, paragraphe 1, sous c), de la directive soient effectivement utilisés, au moment de la demande d'enregistrement, à des fins descriptives de produits ou de services tels que ceux pour lesquels la demande est présentée ou des caractéristiques de ces produits ou de ces services. Il suffit, comme l'indique la lettre même de cette disposition, que ces signes et indications puissent être utilisés à de telles fins. Un signe verbal doit ainsi se voir opposer un refus d'enregistrement, en application de ladite disposition si, en au moins une de ses significations potentielles, il désigne une caractéristique des produits ou services concernés (…)
98. En règle générale, la simple combinaison d'éléments dont chacun est descriptif de caractéristiques des produits ou services pour lesquels l'enregistrement est demandé reste elle-même descriptive desdites caractéristiques, au sens de l'article 3, paragraphe 1, sous c), de la directive. En effet, le simple fait d'accoler de tels éléments sans y apporter de modification inhabituelle, notamment d'ordre syntaxique ou sémantique, ne peut produire qu'une marque composée exclusivement de signes ou d'indications pouvant servir, dans le commerce, à désigner des caractéristiques desdits produits ou services.
99. Toutefois, une telle combinaison peut ne pas être descriptive, au sens de l'article 3, paragraphe 1, sous c), de la directive, à condition qu'elle crée une impression suffisamment éloignée de celle produite par la simple réunion desdits éléments. S'agissant d'une marque verbale, qui est destinée à être entendue autant qu'à être lue, une telle condition devra être satisfaite en ce qui concerne l'impression à la fois auditive et visuelle produite par la marque.
100. Ainsi, une marque constituée d'un mot composé d'éléments dont chacun est descriptif de caractéristiques des produits ou services pour lesquels l'enregistrement est demandé est elle-même descriptive desdites caractéristiques, au sens de l'article 3, paragraphe 1, sous c), de la directive, sauf s'il existe un écart perceptible entre le mot et la simple somme des éléments qui le composent, ce qui suppose soit que, en raison du caractère inhabituel de la combinaison par rapport auxdits produits ou services, le mot crée une impression suffisamment éloignée de celle produite par la simple réunion des indications apportées par les éléments qui le composent, en sorte qu'il prime la somme desdits éléments, soit que le mot est entré dans le langage courant et y a acquis une signification qui lui est propre, en sorte qu'il est désormais autonome par rapport aux éléments qui le composent. Dans ce dernier cas, il y a alors lieu de vérifier si le mot qui a acquis une signification propre n'est pas lui-même descriptif au sens de la même disposition.” .
5. Il est également généralement admis que le caractère distinctif d'une marque doit être apprécié, d'une part, par rapport auxdits produits ou services et, d'autre part, par rapport à la perception qu'en a le public pertinent. La cour admet, vu notamment la grande quantité de produits et services pour lesquels la marque est déposée, les pièces produites en annexe 9 par l’Office concernant les activités de EnBW et la circonstance que les parties n’ont pas allégué qu’il s’agit d’un public spécifique, qu’il s’agit du grand public. Il s’agit de la perception du consommateur moyen, normalement informé et raisonnablement attentif et avisé.
6. Le signe THE POWER PIONEERS se compose des indications THE, POWER et PIONEERS. La thèse de l’Office que THE en tant qu’article n’a pas de caractère distinctif n’est pas contestée.
L’indication POWER en anglais signifie force, énergie ou puissance et appartient également à la langue néerlandaise. Elle est descriptive des produits et services dans le domaine de l’énergie, de la force ou de la puissance, ce qui est admis par EnBW.
Pioneers est le mot anglais pour « pioniers » (et le mot français pionniers). Le mot pionniers a la signification et sera perçu par le public pertinent comme précurseurs, innovateurs, promoteurs, plus généralement comme des personnes (morales) ou entreprises qui opèrent (pour la première fois) dans un domaine déterminé et le développent. Le mot anglais Pioneers sera aussi perçu de cette manière, à cause de la similitude dans les différentes langues, par le public Benelux, ce qui est également admis par EnBW.
La combinaison ne présente pas d’écart perceptible de la somme des éléments THE, POWER et PIONEERS. Il n’est pas question d’un néologisme ni d’une tournure inhabituelle. La combinaison a été formée selon les règles linguistiques normales. Que les mots Power et Pioneers commencent tous deux par un P n’y change rien. Les parties sont d’accord sur le fait que THE POWER PIONEERS sera perçu par le public pertinent comme les pionniers dans le domaine de l’énergie. Le signe décrit ainsi des caractéristiques des produits et services qui se rapportent à la fourniture et au service presté concernant l’énergie (nouvelle) et il est exclusivement descriptif de ces produits et services. Que, comme le soutient EnBW, on ne puisse pas attribuer à des produits et services (impersonnels) la qualité d’être un pionnier n’y change rien. Une marque ne peut pas être enregistrée si elle est composée exclusivement de signes ou d’indications pouvant servir, dans le commerce, à désigner (une des) caractéristiques des produits ou des services, ce qui peut être par exemple aussi la destination ou la provenance géographique des produits ou services et peut donc comporter plus que la “la qualité d’être”.
Le signe THE POWER PIONEERS est dépourvu ainsi de caractère distinctif pour ces produits et services au sens de l’article 2.11, alinéa 1er, sous b et c, CBPI.
7. Par ailleurs, l’Office a exposé à bon droit dans son mémoire en défense que le signe THE POWER PIONEERS ne possède pas non plus de caractère distinctif parce qu’il sera compris par le public pertinent comme une promotion générale ou un slogan destiné à promouvoir les ventes et non comme une marque, donc pas aux fins de distinguer les produits et services d’une entreprise de produits et services similaires d’autres entreprises. Que ce motif d’exclusion n’a pas été traité explicitement en phase de réponse au refus ne fait pas obstacle à ce que la cour puisse examiner ce motif d’exclusion. L’Office a produit comme annexes 7 et 8 à son mémoire en défense des pièces qui établissent que (même dans le Benelux) l’indication POWER PIONEER ou ENERGIE PIONIER est utilisée en ce sens pour désigner ou vanter un pionnier dans ce domaine. Que les mots pioneer(s) ou pionnier(s) soient utilisés au singulier ou au pluriel n’est pas pertinent pour les conceptions du public à ce sujet. Il ressort de l’annexe 9 au mémoire en défense que EnBW utilise elle-même l’indication The Power Pioneers sur son site web de manière descriptive ou à des fins de promotion. Elle se désigne elle-même et elle est désignée par des tiers comme “pioneer of/in the energy industry/ in the field of geothermal power/energie”.
8. La décision de l’Office implique que l’enregistrement est refusé (parce que le signe en cause est descriptif) pour tous les produits et services mentionnés lors du dépôt. EnBW a demandé à titre subsidiaire dans sa requête d’enregistrer le signe pour une partie des produits et services. Il s’agit des produits et services qui, de l’avis de EnBw, sont étrangers à (la fourniture d’)énergie. EnBW affirme que l’Office n’a pas motivé suffisamment la raison pour laquelle le signe est descriptif pour tous (ces) les produits et services. Dans son arrêt du 15 février 2007, C-239/05 (en cause THE KITCHEN COMPANY), la CJCE a considéré que l’autorité compétente, lorsqu’elle refuse l’enregistrement d’une marque, est tenue d’indiquer dans sa décision la conclusion à laquelle elle aboutit pour chacun des produits et des services visés dans la demande d’enregistrement, indépendamment de la manière dont cette demande a été formulée. Toutefois, lorsque le même motif de refus est opposé pour une catégorie ou un groupe de produits ou de services, l’autorité compétente peut se limiter à une motivation globale pour tous les produits ou services concernés. L’Office soutient que tous les produits et services pour lesquels le dépôt a été effectué peuvent provenir ou se rapporter à un pionnier dans le domaine de l’énergie et que le signe est en ce sens descriptif. Il affirme en outre que le signe sera perçu pour tous les produits et services comme un slogan destiné à la promotion des ventes et est donc dépourvu de caractère distinctif.
9. Si la motivation donnée par l’Office est suffisante à l’égard de tous les produits et services peut être laissé de côté, dès lors que la compétence de la cour consiste à contrôler le bien-fondé de la décision de l’Office de refuser l’enregistrement du dépôt, tel qu’il a été soumis à l’Office et qu’il a été éventuellement adapté par le déposant après une notification par l’Office de son intention de refuser l’enregistrement en tout ou en partie. Ceci implique que la cour ne peut pas apporter une modification, soit à la demande du déposant, soit d’office, à la liste des produits et services introduite par le déposant en supprimant certains produits et services de cette liste et qu’elle n’est pas non plus compétente pour donner un ordre d’enregistrement qui comporterait d’autres limitations au regard du dépôt apprécié et ensuite refusé par l’Office (voire CJBen 29 juin 2006, NJ 2006, 596 en cause Europolis). Dans son arrêt du 15 février 2007, C-239/05 (en cause THE KITCHEN COMPANY), la Cour de justice CE a autorisé en principe cette approche (Benelux) de la procédure. Dans le délai de réponse au refus, EnBw n’a pas introduit de demande (inconditionnelle et explicite) de limitation des produits et services pour lesquels la marque est déposée ni limité son dépôt. Certes, dans une lettre de ses mandataires du 11 avril 2008 au nom de EnBW, un alinéa est consacré au caractère non descriptif de tous les produits/services et on y fait observer que la marque n’est très certainement pas descriptive pour la majeure partie des produits/services revendiqués, mais cet alinéa se termine par la thèse que le nœud de cette affaire reste que la marque est distinctive également pour les produits liés à l’“énergie”. Cette lettre se termine en outre (en conclusion) par la demande de veiller à l’enregistrement de la marque (sans plus), tandis que la lettre du 9 juillet 2008 n’aborde même plus du tout cette question, malgré la remarque de l’office qu’il appartient au déposant d’apporter des limitations éventuelles. Il suit de ce qui précède que la cour n’a pas à apprécier la demande subsidiaire.
10. EnBW invoque vainement l’enregistrement de la marque THE POWER PIONEERS par l’office britannique des marques (UKIPO) et d’autres enregistrements de signes similaires. La cour considère que l’Office n’est pas lié par ses propres décisions antérieures ni par des décisions d’autres instances de contrôle. Le caractère distinctif du signe en cause doit être apprécié selon ses mérites propres.
11. Il suit de ce qui précède que la demande de EnBW sera rejetée.
Etant partie succombante EnBW sera condamnée aux frais de procédure exposés par l’Office. La cour fixera ces frais raisonnablement, en prenant en considération le fait que l’Office s’est fait représenter dans cette instance conformément à l’article 2.11, alinéa 2 CBPI.
Décision
La cour d’appel:
- rejette la requête de EnBW;
condamne EnBW aux frais de la procédure et fixe ceux-ci jusqu’à ce jour à € 1.341,- d’honoraires de mandataire pour l’Office, et à € 313,- à titre provisionnel.
La présente ordonnance a été rendue par les conseillers J.C. Fasseur-van Santen, A.D. Kiers-Becking et C.J. Verduyn; elle a été prononcée à l’audience publique du 26 janvier 2010, en présence du greffier.