62021CJ0810_SUM
Joined Cases C‑810/21 to C‑813/21
Caixabank SA and Others
v
WE and Others
(Requests for a preliminary rulingfrom the Audiencia Provincial de Barcelona)
Judgment of the Court (Ninth Chamber) of 25 January 2024
(Reference for a preliminary ruling – Consumer protection – Directive 93/13/EEC – Unfair terms in consumer contracts – Charges arising from the formalisation of the mortgage loan agreement – Restitution of the sums paid under a term declared to be unfair – Starting point of the limitation period for an action for restitution)
Consumer protection – Unfair terms in consumer contracts – Directive 93/13 – Means to prevent the use of unfair terms – Mortgage loan agreement – Term making the consumer bear the charges relating to conclusion of the agreement – Action for restitution – Limitation period – Starting point of the limitation period – National legislation providing for a limitation period of 10 years – National case-law setting the starting point of the limitation period at the moment the consumer becomes aware of the facts constituting the unfair nature of a term – Detailed rules for the application of the limitation period – No account to be taken of the duration of the limitation period or the consumer’s knowledge of the unfair nature of a term – Not permissible – Failure to comply with the principle of effectiveness
(Council Directive 93/13, Arts 6(1) and 7(1))
(see paragraphs 46-51, 53-55, operative part 1)
Consumer protection – Unfair terms in consumer contracts – Directive 93/13 – Means to prevent the use of unfair terms – Mortgage loan agreement – Term making the consumer bear the charges relating to conclusion of the agreement – Action for restitution – Limitation period – Starting point of the limitation period – Detailed rules for the application of the limitation period – Consumer’s knowledge of the unfair nature of that term and of the legal consequences thereof – National case-law according to which the existence of well-established national case-law relating to the invalidity of similar terms establishes such knowledge – Not permissible
(Council Directive 93/13)
(see paragraphs 57-61, operative part 2)
See the text of the decision.