ECJ In the case of an action under the second paragraph of article 169 of the EEC Treaty, it is for the court to say whether the failure has occurred, without having to examine whether, subsequent to the bringing of the action, the state in question took the measures necessary to bring the infringement to … Continue reading Commission EEC v Italy: ECJ 19 Dec 1961
The claimant complained of the defendant’s use of its trade marks alleging infringement and passing off when it relaunched its own optician services. Having had advance notice of the details of the proposed campaign, the claimants had launched their own pre-emptive campaign. They now admitted misuse of the confidential information acquired. Held: The claim succeeded … Continue reading Specsavers International Healthcare Ltd and Others v Asda Stores Ltd: ChD 30 Jul 2010
ECJ The national prohibition of advertising for medicinal products which despite the general requirement of authorization are not authorized in a country, but may be imported from another Member State of the European Community in response to an individual order if they have been lawfully put into circulation in that Member State, is, inasmuch as … Continue reading Ortscheit v Eurim-Pharm: ECJ 10 Nov 1994
The claimant sought damages against the respondent for various infringements in sales of unlicensed products, and also additional damages. The defendant argued that Microsoft’s licensing arrangements acted anti-competively. Held: ‘the defendants would not at trial be able to defend liability for issuing instruments of deception. ‘ The application for summary judgment for additional damages succeeded. … Continue reading Microsoft Corporation v Ling and others: ChD 3 Jul 2006
The court was asked as to whether the on-line marketplace site defendant was liable for trade mark infringements by those advertising goods on the web-site. Held: The ECJ had not yet clarified the law on accessory liability in trade mark infringement, and the legislation remained unclear. Many of the direct sellers were held to be … Continue reading L’Oreal Sa and Others v Ebay International Ag and Others: ChD 22 May 2009
The claimants relayed horse racing events to bookmakers. The respondents collected data about the races and horses. The claimants sought the freedom to use that data, and the defendants asserted a database right to control such use. Held: BHB controlled the market, and by threatening to terminate the licence of the claimant had abused that … Continue reading Attheraces Ltd and Another v British Horse Racing Board and Another: ChD 21 Dec 2005
ECJ The principle that men and women should receive equal pay, which is laid down by article 119, is one of the foundations of the community. It may be relied on before the national courts. These courts have a duty to ensure the protection of the rights which that provision vests in individuals, in particular … Continue reading Defrenne v Sabena (No 2): ECJ 8 Apr 1976
This is an appeal on preliminary points of European Union and domestic law regarding the circumstances in which damages may be recoverable for failure to comply with the requirements of the Public Procurement Directive (Parliament and Council Directive 2004/18/EC on the coordination of procedures for the award of public works contracts, public supply contracts and … Continue reading Nuclear Decommissioning Authority v Energysolutions EU Ltd (Now Called ATK Energy EU Ltd): SC 11 Apr 2017
ECJ (Free Movement Of Goods) 1. Measures adopted by a professional body for pharmacy, in whose register all pharmacists must be enrolled in order to carry on their business, which lays down rules of ethics applicable to the members of the profession and which has a committee upon which national legislation has conferred disciplinary powers … Continue reading The Queen v Royal Pharmaceutical Society Of Great Britain, Ex Parte Association Of Pharmaceutical Importers And Others: ECJ 18 May 1989
ECJ It follows from article 30 in conjunction with article 36 of the EEC Treaty that a member state is not prohibited from requiring plant protection products to be subject to prior approval , even if those products have already been approved in another member state. The authorities of the importing state are however not … Continue reading Criminal Proceedings Against Frans-Nederlandse Maatschappij Voor Biologische Producten Bv: ECJ 17 Dec 1981
ECJ Approximation of laws – Articles 30 and 36 of the EC Treaty (now, after amendment, Articles 28 EC and 30 EC) – Directive 76/768/EEC relating to cosmetic products – Directive 84/450/EEC concerning misleading advertising – National legislation laying down restrictions on advertising. Judges: J-P. Puissochet, P Citations: C-99/01, [2002] EUECJ C-99/01 Links: Bailii European, … Continue reading Linhart v Hans Biffl: ECJ 24 Oct 2002
The applicant complained that he had been individually affect by a European Instrument. The commission objected that he did not have sufficient standing to challenge the instrument. Held: The former law that an individual had to be affected in some particular way as compared with others, is no longer correct. An individual now has standing … Continue reading Jego-Quere et Cie SA v Commission of the European Communities: ECFI 3 May 2002
The authorities of a Member State when considering a request by a national of another Member State for authorisation to exercise a regulated profession, must take into consideration the professional qualification of the person concerned by making a comparison between the qualifications certified by his diplomas, certificates and other formal qualifications and the professional qualifications … Continue reading Vlassopoulou v Ministerium fur Justiz, Bundes- u Europaangelegenheiten Baden-Wurttemberg: ECJ 7 May 1991
Europa Free movement of goods – Industrial and commercial property – Trade mark – Similar products protected in different Member States by identical marks or marks liable to be confused belonging to two entirely separate undertakings – Opposition of the proprietor of the mark in one Member State to the importation of products marketed by … Continue reading CNL-SUCAL v HAG (HAG 2): ECJ 17 Oct 1990
This appeal concerns the meaning and effect of the phrase ‘Customs Debt’ in article 221(4) of the former Customs Code of the EU, contained in Council Regulation (EEC) No 2913/92. Customs duties may be due under ‘post-clearance demands’ and the Court now considered the time limits for such demands. The tax payer imported garlic, saying … Continue reading FMX Food Merchants Import Export Co Ltd v Revenue and Customs: SC 29 Jan 2020
ECJ Free Movement Of Goods – Articles 30 and 36 of the EEC treaty, on a true construction, do not preclude the application of national legislation allowing a national copyright-management society to charge a royalty called a ‘supplementary mechanical reproduction fee’, in addition to a performance royalty, on the public performance of sound recordings, even … Continue reading Basset v Sacem (Rec 1987,P 1747) (Judgment): ECJ 9 Apr 1987
ECJ 1. Agriculture – common organization of the markets – discrimination between producers or consumers – prohibition – scope – measures differentiated according to regions of the community – whether permissible -objective criteria (EEC treaty, arts 7 and 40 (3), second subparagraph) 2. Agriculture – common organization of the markets – sugar – production levy … Continue reading Sermide Spa v Cassa Conguaglio Zucchero and Others: ECJ 13 Dec 1984
Europa Aid granted by states – commission decision declaring aid incompatible with the common market – obligation of the member state concerned (EEC treaty, arts 92 and 93) Where a formal decision has been adopted by the commission declaring aid granted by a state to be incompatible with the common market, the member state concerned … Continue reading Commission v Italy (Rec 1984,P 2849) (Judgment): ECJ 11 Jul 1984
ECJ (Judgement) 1. It is clear from article 36 of the EEC treaty, in particular its second sentence, as well as from the context, that whilst the treaty does not affect the existence of rights recognized by the laws of a member state in matters of industrial and commercial property, yet the exercise of those … Continue reading Hoffman-La Roche v Centrafarm: ECJ 23 May 1978
The respondent appealed against a finding that the provision which made a loan agreement completely invalid for lack of compliance with the 1974 Act was itself invalid under the Human Rights Act since it deprived the respondent lender of its property rights. It was also argued that it was not possible to make a declaration … Continue reading Wilson v Secretary of State for Trade and Industry; Wilson v First County Trust Ltd (No 2): HL 10 Jul 2003
Europa Free movement of goods – Quantitative restrictions – Measures having equivalent effect – Concept – Measures adopted by a professional body for pharmacy (EEC Treaty, Art. 30) 2. Free movement of goods – Derogations – Protection of public health -Rules prohibiting pharmacists from substituting a therapeutically equivalent medicinal product for that prescribed by the … Continue reading Regina v Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, Ex Parte Association of Pharmaceutical Importers: ECJ 18 May 1989
Europa In laying down that freedom of establishment shall be attained at the end of the transitional period, article 52 imposes an obligation to attain a precise result the fulfilment of which must be made easier by, but not made dependent on, the implementation of a programme of progressive measures. Consequently the fact that the … Continue reading Ordre des avocats au Barreau de Paris v Onno Klopp: ECJ 12 Jul 1984
Europa In the system of the EEC treaty means of payment are not to be considered as goods falling within the terms of articles 30 to 37 of the treaty. These provisions do not therefore apply to (a) silver alloy coins which are legal tender in a member state, (b) gold coins such as krugerrands … Continue reading Regina v Thompson, Johnson and Woodiwiss (Judgment): ECJ 23 Nov 1978
The appellant, barristers and solicitors, challenged the respondent’s approval of alterations to their regulatory arrangements, under Part 3 of Schedule 4 to the 2007 Act. The alterations gave effect to the Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates providing for the assessment of the performance of criminal advocates in England and Wales by judges. They now appealed … Continue reading Lumsdon and Others, Regina (on The Application of) v Legal Services Board: SC 24 Jun 2015
The claimant had come from Latvia to the UK in 2008, but not registered under the Worker Registration Scheme until 2010. She now sought state pension credit. The SS appealed from a judgment that it was to calculate her entitlement to include her work before registration. It was additionally argued that a national measure adopted … Continue reading Secretary of State for Work and Pensions v Gubeladze: SC 19 Jun 2019
These proceedings raise, for the first time in the courts of the United Kingdom, the question how the concepts of sufficiency and infringement are to be applied to a patent relating to a specified medical use of a known pharmaceutical compound. Four issues arose: (i) the construction of the claims (in particular, Claim 3 as … Continue reading Warner-Lambert Company Llc v Generics (UK) Ltd (T/A Mylan) and Another: SC 14 Nov 2018
Europa Article 30 of the EEC treaty applies also to prohibitions on imports inasmuch as they are the most extreme form of restriction. The expression used in article 30 must therefore be understood as being the equivalent of the expression ‘ ‘ prohibitions or restrictions on imports ‘ ‘ occurring in article 36. Hence a … Continue reading Regina v Maurice Donald Henn and John Frederick Ernest Darby: ECJ 14 Dec 1979
The claimant entered the UK as a student coming from Poland. She then worked as a kitchen maid, but having left that job on becoming a mother was refused income support. She later returned to work. She said that the rules which denied her benefit were inconsistent with articles 12 (discrimination on the grounds of … Continue reading Kaczmarek v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions: CA 27 Nov 2008
The claimant challenged as incompatible with EU law, the Regulations which restricted the entitlement to state pension credit to those entitled to reside in the UK. Held: The appeal failed (Majority). The conditions imposed by the Regulations were indirectly discriminatory. There was not an exact correspondence between the advantaged and disadvantaged groups and the protected … Continue reading Patmalniece v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions: SC 16 Mar 2011
The 1995 Regulations imposed a levy on fish both caught and first landed in the UK and also on imported fish products. The claimants, importers challenged the validity of the latter charges, saying that they went beyond the power given by the 1981 Act, and also were contrary to EU law. Held: The appeal succeeded. … Continue reading Bloomsbury International Ltd v Sea Fish Industry Authority and Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: SC 15 Jun 2011
The applicants had been imprisoned and held without trial, being suspected of international terrorism. No criminal charges were intended to be brought. They were foreigners and free to return home if they wished, but feared for their lives if they did. A British subject, who was suspected in the exact same way, and there were … Continue reading A v Secretary of State for the Home Department, and X v Secretary of State for the Home Department: HL 16 Dec 2004
Art 50 Notice withrawable unilaterally Reference for a preliminary ruling – Article 50 TEU – Notification by a Member State of its intention to withdraw from the European Union – Consequences of the notification – Right of unilateral revocation of the notification – ConditionsThe Court Ruled: ‘Article 50 TEU must be interpreted as meaning that, … Continue reading Wightman and Others v Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union: ECJ 10 Dec 2018
The Minister had revoked the plaintiffs’ licence in order to protect English turkey producers against competition from French turkey producers, knowing that this was in breach of the UK’s obligations under article 30 of the EEC treaty, that the act . .
Europa The application to products from other Member States of national provisions restricting or prohibiting certain selling arrangements is not such as to hinder directly or indirectly, actually or potentially, . .
The claimant pursued Employment Tribunal proceedings against the Immigration Service when his security clearance was withdrawn. The Tribunal allowed the respondent to use a closed material procedure under which it was provided with evidence unseen . .
