Reports of Cases

1997 I-03929

Subject-matter

Preliminary ruling ─ Hoge Raad der Nederlanden ─ Interpretation of Articles 30 and 36 of the EC Treaty ─ Patent ─ National rule conferring on the proprietor of a pharmaceutical patent the right to oppose, during the currency of that patent, the submission by another person of samples to the authority responsible for the registration of medicinal products ─ Injunction against a counterfeiter prohibiting the marketing, after the expiry of the patent, of products which were protected by the patent during its currency

Systematic classification scheme

Citations of case-law or legislation

References in grounds of judgment

• EC Treaty (Maastricht), Article 30 : paragraphs 15 - 29
• EC Treaty (Maastricht), Article 36 : paragraphs 19 - 34
• Directive 65/65 -A07 : paragraphs 32 - 34
• Directive 75/319 -A04LC : paragraphs 32 - 34
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -8/74 -N05 : paragraph 15
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -412/93 -N18 : paragraph 15
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -187/80 -N10 : paragraph 19
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -191/90 -N21 : paragraph 21

Operative part

• Interprets : EC Treaty (Maastricht), Article 30
• Interprets : EC Treaty (Maastricht), Article 36

Opinion

• EC Treaty (Maastricht), Article 30 : points 20 - 57
  
• EC Treaty (Maastricht), Article 36 : points 20 - 73
  
• Regulation 1768/92 : points 50, 56
  
• Directive 65/65 -A07 : points 68 - 69
  

Dates

Date of the lodging of the application initiating proceedings

• 05/10/1995

Date of the Opinion

• 27/02/1997

Date of the hearing

Information not available

Date of delivery

09/07/1997

References

Publication in the Official Journal

Application: OJ C 315 from 25.11.1995, p.12

Judgment: OJ C 271 from 06.09.1997, p.1

Name of the parties

Generics v Smith Kline & French Laboratories

Notes on Academic Writings

1. Klauer, Irene: Registrierung eines patentierten Arzneimittels durch Dritte vor Ablauf der Patentfrist, St. Galler Europarechtsbriefe 1997 p.422-424
2. Mok, M.R.: TVVS ondernemingsrecht en rechtspersonen 1997 p.257-258
3. Rigaux, Anne: Europe 1997 Août-Sept. Comm. nº 270 p.10-11
4. Lemaire, Olivier ; Strowel, Alain: La durée de protection des brevets de médicament, Revue de droit intellectuel : l'ingénieur-conseil 1997 p.389-401
5. Botana Agra, M.: La violación de la patente en el procedimiento de autorización de comercialización del producto farmacéutico patentado. (Comentario a la sentencia del TJCE de 9 de julio de 1997, asunto C-316/95, Generics BV/Smith Kline & French Laboratories Ltd.), Actas de derecho industrial y derecho de autor 1997 Tomo XVIII p.265-282
6. Dios, José María de: Jurisprudencia del Tribunal de Justicia de las Comunidades Europeas, Revista Jurídica de Catalunya 1998 p.597-599
7. Galloux, Jean-Christophe: Recueil Dalloz Sirey 1999 Som. p.130-131

Procedural Analysis Information

Source of the question referred for a preliminary ruling

Hoge Raad der Nederlanden - Netherlands

Subject-matter

• Free movement of goods
  
• Approximation of laws
  
• Intellectual, industrial and commercial property
  
• - Patents
  

Provisions of national law referred to

Rijksoctrooiwet, art. 30, lid 3 Wet op de geneesmiddelenvoorziening, art. 29 Besluit registratie geneesmiddelen, art. 8, lid 1

Provisions of international law referred to

Information not available

Procedure and result

• Reference for a preliminary ruling
  

Formation of the Court

Cour plénière (Cour)

Judge-Rapporteur

Gulmann

Advocate General

Jacobs

Language(s) of the Case

• Dutch
  

Language(s) of the Opinion

• English