injunctions in european patent law - 4ip council · the injunctions and corrective measures...
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InjunctionsinEuropeanPatentLaw
Webinar4iPCouncil14May2019
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Doesautomaticgrantofaninjunctionincaseofinfringementhavetobeputintoquestion?- example:patentconcernedprotectsatechnology,whichperhapsisonlya
minorcomponentofamuchmorecomplexsystemà potentialeffectoftheinjunction:stoppingthesystemasawholeà Injunctiondisproportionate?
- analysisfromastatutoryperspective
I. Introduction
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TRIPs- wantstoestablishcertainconvergenceintheenforcementofIP-rights- acknowledgesthedifferencesofnationallegalsystems(preamble)- Art.44para.1–Injunctions:“Thejudicialauthoritiesshallhavethe
authoritytoorderapartytodesistfromaninfringement[...].“à noproportionalityrequirementó otherArticlesspelloutproportionalityrequirement(i.e.Art.46TRIPs)
- Art.41para.2-GeneralObligations:“fairandequitableproceduresconcerningtheenforcementofintellectualpropertyrights”à noproportionalityrequirementconcerningtheapplicationofthelaw
II. Legalfoundations1. Internationalinstruments
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TRIPsArt.30
ExceptionstoRightsConferredMembersmayprovidelimitedexceptionstotheexclusiverightsconferredbyapatent,providedthatsuchexceptionsdonotunreasonablyconflictwithanormalexploitationofthepatentanddonotunreasonablyprejudicethelegitimateinterestsofthepatentowner,takingaccountofthelegitimateinterestsofthirdparties.- addressestheextentofthepatentasasubstantive(exclusivity)right- concernslimitationsoftheright’sscope- methodologicalargument:outsideofPartIIIonproceduralremedies
II. Legalfoundations1. Internationalinstruments
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EnforcementDirective
- Art.11oninjunctionsdoesnotstipulateaproportionalityrequirement- but:
Article3–Generalobligation2.Thosemeasures,proceduresandremediesshallalsobeeffective,proportionateanddissuasiveandshallbeappliedinsuchamannerastoavoidthecreationofbarrierstolegitimatetradeandtoprovideforsafeguardsagainsttheirabuse.- however:certainprovisionsonremediesexplicitlyspelloutproportionality
requirement(i.e.Art.8(1),10(3))- proportionalitymustbebalancedagainsteffectivenessanddissuasiveness
II. Legalfoundations1. Internationalinstruments
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EnforcementDirectiveArticle12
AlternativemeasuresMemberStatesmayprovidethat,inappropriatecasesandattherequestofthepersonliabletobesubjecttothemeasuresprovidedforinthissection,thecompetentjudicialauthoritiesmayorderpecuniarycompensationtobepaidtotheinjuredpartyinsteadofapplyingthemeasuresprovidedforinthissectionifthatpersonactedunintentionallyandwithoutnegligence,ifexecutionofthemeasuresinquestionwouldcausehim/herdisproportionateharmandifpecuniarycompensationtotheinjuredpartyappearsreasonablysatisfactory.ànogeneralproportionalityrequirementbutexemptionclausetargetingfaultlessbehavior
II. Legalfoundations1. Internationalinstruments
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a)PatentinjunctionsinGermany- ifpreconditionsofSec.139PatentActarefulfilled,aninjunctionmustbe
granted- injunctionisrootedinsubstantiveandnotprocedurallawinGermany- nogeneralproportionalityrequirementmirroringArt.3(2)Enf.Dir.- Art.12EnforcementDirectivenotimplemented- however:goodfaithdefenseaccordingtoSec.242BGB- BGH“Wärmetauscher”(grantingofagraceperiod):
• highthresholdwasdefined• necessaryconsequencethatinfringerhastoceaseproduction:‘Consequential
hardshipistobeaccepted’• limitationontheeffectsofapatentonlyjustifiedincasesof‘intolerable
hardship’(Unzumutbarkeit)• specificcase:graceperiodnotgranted
II. Legalfoundations2. Europeanpatentlaws-overview
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b)PatentinjunctionsinUK- remedysuchasinjunctionisanapplicationofthelawofequity- UKdidnotimplement12EnforcementDirective- UKcourtsseethemselvesasauthorizedonbasisoftheirequitynotto
grantaninjunctionforreasonsondisproportionality- However,onlyforrareandexceptionalcases- EWHCinNavitaire:“[…]thattheeffectofthegrantoftheinjunctionwould
begrosslydisproportionatetotherightprotected,theword‘grossly’avoidsanysuggestionthatallthathastobedoneistostrikeabalanceofconvenience.”
II. Legalfoundations2. Europeanpatentlaws-overview
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c)PatentinjunctionsinFrance- injunctionisaremedyasofright,willsystematicallyfollowafindingof
infringement- injunctivereliefconsideredanaturalconsequenceoffindinginfringement- infringersmustbesanctionedforthesimplefactthattheyhaveinfringed- Art.12EnforcementDirectivenotimplementedinFrenchlaw- Injunctivereliefdeniedintwoscenarios:
• competitionlawdefense• abuseofrightsdefenseforinstitutinglegalproceedings
II. Legalfoundations2. Europeanpatentlaws-overview
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d)PatentinjunctionsunderUPCA
Article63Permanentinjunctions
1.Whereadecisionistakenfindinganinfringementofapatent,theCourtmaygrantaninjunctionagainsttheinfringeraimedatprohibitingthecontinuationoftheinfringement.TheCourtmayalsograntsuchinjunctionagainstanintermediarywhoseservicesarebeingusedbyathirdpartytoinfringeapatent.
àliteralimplementationofArt.11EnforcementDirective
II. Legalfoundations2. Europeanpatentlaws-overview
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d)PatentinjunctionsunderUPCAArt.63–Noproceduraldiscretion- reflectstheContinentalEuropeanviewthatproceduralorderofan
injunctionisresultofasubstantivecease-and-desistclaim- ruleequalingArt.12EnforcementDirectivehasbeendeletedfromdraft
RoP- noproceduraldiscretionofjudgesnottograntaninjunction- counterargumentsmustthereforebeassertedundersubstantivelaw- Discretionbecauseofwording“maygrant”?Predominantopinion:No- wording‘may’isunderstoodastogiveUPClegalauthority(power)togrant
cease-and-desistorder- defendanthasenoughopportunitytoargueontheawardofthe
substantiveclaim
II. Legalfoundations2. Europeanpatentlaws-overview
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d)PatentinjunctionsunderUPCAArt.63–NogeneralsubstantivelawdefenseofdisproportionalityLegalbasisofceaseanddesistclaim:
Article5EPUE-Reg.– Uniformprotection1. TheEuropeanpatentwithunitaryeffectshallconferonitsproprietortherightto
preventanythirdpartyfromcommittingactsagainstwhichthatpatentprovidesprotectionthroughouttheterritoriesoftheparticipatingMemberStatesinwhichithasunitaryeffect,subjecttoapplicablelimitations.[…]
Art.25UPCA–RighttopreventthedirectuseoftheinventionApatentshallconferonitsproprietortherighttopreventanythirdpartynothavingtheproprietor'sconsentfromthefollowing:(a)making,offering,placingonthemarketorusingaproductwhichisthesubject-matterofthepatent,orimportingorstoringtheproductforthosepurposes;.[…]
II. Legalfoundations2. Europeanpatentlaws-overview
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d)PatentinjunctionsunderUPCAArt.63–Nogeneralsubstantivelawdefenseofdisproportionality(LegalbasisofceaseanddesistclaimArt.5EPUE-Reg.,Art.25UPCA)
- noexplicitproportionalityrequirement- fallbackonapplicablenationallawpossibleaccordingtoArt.24lit.eand
(2)UPCAtoraiseproportionalitydefense?- No,UPCAandEPUEarecomprehensiveonproportionality:
• Art.3(2)EnforcementDirectiveapplicable,butonlygeneralstandard• UPCAexplicitlyaddressesproportionalityforspecificremedies:i.e.
Art.60,62,68• draftersoftheUPCAtookadeliberatechoicenottoinclude
proportionalityrequirementinArt.63oninjunctions- goodfaithdefensebasedonapplicablenationallawstillpossible
II. Legalfoundations2. Europeanpatentlaws-overview
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- generalproportionalityassessmentcouldseverelydisturbbalanceofthepatentsystemasawhole
- patentsystemfoundedonideaofpublicationoftheinventionversusgrantofatemporarymonopoly
- patentlawsclearlydescribescopeandrestrictionsofexclusivityright- injunctioniscentraltoeffectiveenforcement- injunctionhasveryhighdeterrentpotential
III. Opinion1. Systematicargument
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- proportionalityrequirementwouldequalanunwrittenrestrictionofpatentrightassuch
- wouldmirroracompulsorylicense- massivedangertolegalcertainty- deliberatechoiceofthelegislatortobalancetheinterestsconcerned
wouldbeatrisk- competitorscanattackpatentinoppositionandnullityproceedings
à delegelata,nosufficientlegalbasisforproportionalityrequirementà explicitcodificationbylegislatorrequiredà definitionofstrict/highstandardspreferable
III. Opinion1. Systematicargument
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Article13Know-how-DirectiveConditionsofapplication,safeguardsandalternativemeasures
1.MemberStatesshallensurethat,inconsideringanapplicationfortheadoptionoftheinjunctionsandcorrectivemeasuresprovidedforinArticle12andassessingtheirproportionality,thecompetentjudicialauthoritiesshallberequiredtotakeintoaccountthespecificcircumstancesofthecase,including,whereappropriate:(a) thevalueorotherspecificfeaturesofthetradesecret;(b) themeasurestakentoprotectthetradesecret;(c) theconductoftheinfringerinacquiring,usingordisclosingthetradesecret;(d) theimpactoftheunlawfuluseordisclosureofthetradesecret;(e) thelegitimateinterestsofthepartiesandtheimpactwhichthegrantingor
rejectionofthemeasurescouldhaveontheparties;(f) thelegitimateinterestsofthirdparties;(g) thepublicinterest;and(h) thesafeguardoffundamentalrights.
III. Opinion2. Comparisontoknow-how
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Article13Know-how-Directive(Sec9GovernmentalDraftTradeSecretAct)
- ruleworksasanexception- criteriaforproportionalityassessmentarespelledout- Whyproportionalityhereandnotwithrespecttopatentinjunctions?
• natureoftherights:know-howisnofullfledgedIP-right• objectofprotectionisthefactthatinformationissecretnot
informationitself• aimistopreventinformationfrombeingleakedtogeneralpublic• differentinterestsinproportionalityassessment
- perspectiveoftheinfringer:thereisnopublicregister,sodifficulttocheckwhetherknowledgehasbeenlegallyobtainedàhigherriskoffaultlessinfringement
III. Opinion2. Comparisontoknow-how
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- internationalinstrumentsdonotprescribespecificproportionalityrequirementforinjunctions
- standardsforproportionalitydefenseundernationallaws(goodfaith/equity)veryhigh
- UPCAsilentonproportionalityofinjunctions- generalproportionalityassessmentcouldseverelydisturbpatentsystemas
awhole- delegelatanosufficientlegalbasis- wouldthereforerequireexplicitcodificationwithhighstandards- seeArt.13Know-how-Directive/Sec.9GovernmentalDraftTradeSecrets
Act
IV. Conclusion
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Thankyou!