ANIMAL FARM and 1984: according to EUIPO, titles of literary works are not registrable as trademarks where the public does not perceive them as indicators of commercial origin

By decision of 27 May 2026, issued in joined cases R 1719/2019-G and R 1922/2019-G, the Grand Board of Appeal of EUIPO confirmed the partial refusal of registration of the signs ANIMAL FARM and 1984, corresponding to the titles of George Orwell's famous novels, in respect of a series of goods and services falling, among others, within Classes 9, 16, and 41 (as well as, for the ANIMAL FARM mark alone, Class 28).