Reports of Cases

2007 I-07001

Subject-matter

Reference for a preliminary ruling – Supremo Tribunal de Justiça – Interpretation of Article 33 of the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) annexed to the Agreement establishing the World Trade Organisation (OJ 1994 L 336, p. 214) – Jurisdiction in relation to interpretation – Direct effect

Systematic classification scheme

Citations of case-law or legislation

References in grounds of judgment

• EC Treaty (Amsterdam), Article 234 : paragraph 33
• EC Treaty (Amsterdam), Article 300 -P7 : paragraph 30
• Agreement with Third Countries or International Bodies - 21994A1223(17) : paragraphs 33 - 35
• Agreement with Third Countries or International Bodies - 21994A1223(17) -A33 : paragraphs 1, 4, 29, 38, 39, 41, 47, 48
• Agreement with Third Countries or International Bodies - 21994A1223(17) -A65P1 : paragraph 3
• Regulation 1768/92 : paragraph 43
• Regulation 1768/92 -A05 : paragraph 45
• Regulation 1768/92 -A13P1 : paragraph 45
• Decision 94/800 : paragraphs 1, 31
• Regulation 2100/94 -A19 : paragraph 42
• Regulation 1610/96 : paragraph 43
• Regulation 1610/96 -A05 : paragraph 45
• Regulation 1610/96 -A13P1 : paragraph 45
• Directive 98/44 : paragraph 41
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -181/73 : paragraph 31
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -12/86 : paragraph 31
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -53/96 : paragraph 33
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -300/98 : paragraphs 33 - 35
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -207/03 : paragraph 43
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -459/03 : paragraph 31
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -344/04 : paragraph 31
• Court of Justice - Opinion C -431/05 : paragraph 42

Operative part

• Interprets : Agreement with Third Countries or International Bodies - 21994A1223(17) -A33

Opinion

• EC Treaty (Amsterdam), Article 5 : point 34
  
• EC Treaty (Amsterdam), Article 10 : points 41, 43, 56, 58, 60
  
• EC Treaty (Amsterdam), Article 95 : point 50
  
• EC Treaty (Amsterdam), Article 220 : point 34
  
• EC Treaty (Amsterdam), Article 226 : point 85
  
• EC Treaty (Amsterdam), Article 228 : point 85
  
• EC Treaty (Amsterdam), Article 234 : point 57
  
• EC Treaty (Amsterdam), Article 308 : point 50
  
• Agreement with Third Countries or International Bodies - 21994A1223(17) : point 72
  
• Agreement with Third Countries or International Bodies - 21994A1223(17) -A33 : points 5, 28, 61, 63, 74, 87, 89 - 96
  
• Agreement with Third Countries or International Bodies - 21994A1223(17) -A50 : points 39, 41, 43
  
• Agreement with Third Countries or International Bodies - 21994A1223(17) -A70 : points 6, 96
  
• Regulation 1768/92 : point 47
  
• Regulation 40/94 -A99 : points 39, 40
  
• Regulation 2100/94 : point 47
  
• Directive 98/44 : point 47
  
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -22/70 : point 37
  
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -181/73 : point 34
  
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -104/81 : point 35
  
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -12/86 : points 34, 35, 55, 65, 73
  
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -70/87 : points 70, 78
  
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -69/89 : points 70, 78
  
• Court of Justice - Opinion 1/91 : point 57
  
• Court of Justice - Opinion 1/94 : points 36, 37, 56
  
• Court of Justice - Opinion C -53/96 : points 42, 57, 66, 72
  
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -53/96 : points 39, 43, 44
  
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -149/96 : points 67 - 69, 73, 78, 83
  
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -300/98 : points 40, 41, 43, 60, 72
  
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -89/99 : point 40
  
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -13/00 : points 35, 44
  
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -377/02 : points 70, 71, 78
  
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -239/03 : points 44 - 46, 53
  
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -459/03 : points 44, 45
  

Dates

Date of the lodging of the application initiating proceedings

• 05/12/2005

Date of the Opinion

• 23/01/2007

Date of the hearing

Information not available

Date of delivery

11/09/2007

References

Publication in the Official Journal

Application: OJ C 36 from 11.02.2006, p.22

Judgment: OJ C 269 from 10.11.2007, p.9

Name of the parties

Merck Genéricos Produtos Farmacêuticos

Notes on Academic Writings

1. Urlesberger, Franz W.: Wirtschaftsrechtliche Blätter 2007 p.584-586 (DE)
2. Simon, Denys: Invocabilité des accords OMC en matière de propriété industrielle, Europe 2007 Novembre Comm. nº 282 p.11-12 (FR)
3. Hallström, Pär: Mål C-431/05 Merck, haltande effekt av TRIPs i den Europeiska Unionen, Europarättslig tidskrift 2008 p.249-258 (SV)
4. Ruotolo, Gianpaolo Maria: Applicazione interna del diritto OMC in materia brevettuale tra giurisprudenza comunitaria e prassi extraeuropea, Diritto pubblico comparato ed europeo 2008 p.457-466 (IT)
5. Etienne, Judicaël: Arrêt "Merck Genéricos": la compétence d'interprétation d'un accord international conclu par la Communauté et les Etats membres, Journal des tribunaux / droit européen 2008 nº 146 p.46-48 (FR)
6. Neframi, E.: Evropaion Politeia 2008 p.243-251 (EL)
7. Holdgaard, Rass: Common Market Law Review 2008 p.1233-1250 (EN)
8. Schmidt-Szalewski, Joanna: Propriétés intellectuelles. Effet des accords ADPIC en droit communautaire et en droit interne, Revue trimestrielle de droit européen 2008 p.927-934 (FR)
9. Anthimos, A.: Armenopoulos 2008 p.1615 (EL)
10. Couto Gonçalves, Luís M.: A competência do Tribunal de Justiça para interpretar o ADPIC e o efeito directo do artigo 33.º deste Acordo - Ac. Do TJ (Grande Secção), de 11.9.2007, Proc. C-431/05, Cadernos de direito privado 2008 nº 23 p.17-31 (PT)
11. Blázquez Navarro, Irene: TJCE – Sentencia de 11.09.2007, Merck Genéricos produtos farmacêuticos, C-431/05 – Organización Mundial del Comercio – Acuerdo sobre los aspectos de los derechos de propiedad intelectual relacionados con el comercio – ADPIC (TRIPS) – Patentes – Competencia del Tribunal de Justicia – Efecto directo, Revista de Derecho Comunitario Europeo 2008 nº 31 p.849-865 (ES)

Procedural Analysis Information

Source of the question referred for a preliminary ruling

Supremo Tribunal de Justiça - Portugal

Subject-matter

• External relations
  
• - Commercial policy
  
• - World Trade Organisation (WTO)
  
• Intellectual, industrial and commercial property
  
• - Patents
  

Provisions of national law referred to

Código da Propriedade Industrial de 1940, art. 7 Decreto-Lei n.º 16/95, de 24 de janeiro de 1995, art. 3 Código da Propriedade Industrial de 1995, art. 93, par. 3, et art. 94

Provisions of international law referred to

Accord instituant l'Organisation mondiale du commerce - Annexe 1C - Accord sur les aspects des droits de propriété intellectuelle qui touchent au commerce (TRIPs) (15/04/1994), art. 33

Procedure and result

• Reference for a preliminary ruling
  

Formation of the Court

grande chambre (Cour)

Judge-Rapporteur

Timmermans

Advocate General

Ruiz-Jarabo Colomer

Language(s) of the Case

• Portuguese
  

Language(s) of the Opinion

• Spanish