Published: 11/12/15
Publication: IAM
A press release sent out this afternoon by German law firm Arnold Ruess reveals that its client Sisvel, the Italian patent licensing business, has secured a significant victory in the German courts. In the country’s first decision relating to FRAND and standards essential patents (SEPs) since the European Court of Justice’s judgment in the Huawei v ZTE case, Sisvel has been granted injunctions after the Düsseldorf Regional Court found that its patents had been infringed by Chinese company Haier. The Huawei v ZTE case concerned the extent to which owners of SEPs could obtain injunctions in Europe, but while the ECJ provided general principles it left detailed interpretation of them to member states’ national courts. More patent cases are heard in Düsseldorf than anywhere else in Germany.