CELEX: C2000/006/05
Language: en
Date: 2000-01-08 00:00:00
Title: Judgment of the Court (Fifth Chamber) of 21 September 1999 in Case C-44/98 (reference for a preliminary ruling from the Bundespatentgericht): BASF AG v Präsident des Deutschen Patentamts (Free movement of goods — Measures having equivalent effect — European patent ruled void ab initio for failure to file a translation)

8.1.2000                EN                       Official Journal of the European Communities                                               C 6/3
                 JUDGMENT OF THE COURT                                                       JUDGMENT OF THE COURT
                      of 21 September 1999                                                             (Fifth Chamber)
                                                                                                  of 21 September 1999
in Case C-124/97 (reference for a preliminary ruling from
the Vaasan Hovioikeus): Markku Juhani Läärä, Cotswold
Microsystems Ltd, Oy Transatlantic Software Ltd v Kih-                      in Case C-44/98 (reference for a preliminary ruling from
lakunnansyyttäjä (Jyväskylä), Suomen Valtio (Finnish                        the Bundespatentgericht): BASF AG v Präsident des
                              State) (1)                                                         Deutschen Patentamts (1)
(Freedom to provide services — Exclusive operating rights                   (Free movement of goods — Measures having equivalent
                         — Slot machines)                                   effect — European patent ruled void ab initio for failure to
                                                                                                      file a translation)
                           (2000/C 6/04)
                                                                                                        (2000/C 6/05)
                   (Language of the case: Finnish)                                             (Language of the case: German)
(Provisional translation; the definitive translation will be published      (Provisional translation; the definitive translation will be published
                   in the European Court Reports)                                               in the European Court Reports)
In Case C-124/97: reference to the Court under Article 177 of               In Case C-44/98: reference to the Court under Article 177 of
the EC Treaty (now Article 234 EC) from the Vaasan                          the EC Treaty (now Article 234 EC) from the Bundespatentge-
Hovioikeus for a preliminary ruling in the proceedings pending              richt, Germany, for a preliminary ruling in the proceedings
before that court between Markku Juhani Läärä, Cotswold                     pending before that court between BASF AG and Präsident des
Microsystems Ltd, Oy Transatlantic Software Ltd and Kihlakun-               Deutschen Patentamts — on the interpretation of Articles 30
nansyyttäjä (Jyväskylä), Suomen Valtio (Finnish State) — on                 and 36 of the EC Treaty (now, after amendment, Articles 28
the interpretation of the judgment of the Court of Justice of               EC and 30 EC) — the Court (Fifth Chamber), composed of:
24 March 1994 in Case C-275/92 Schindler [1994] ECR                         J.-P. Puissochet, President of the Chamber, P. Jann, J.C. Moitin-
I-1039 and of Articles 30, 36, 56 and 59 of the EC Treaty                   ho de Almeida, C. Gulmann (Rapporteur) and D.A.O. Edward,
(now, after amendment, Articles 28 EC, 30 EC, 46 EC and 49                  Judges; A. La Pergola, Advocate General; H.A. Rühl, Principal
EC) and Article 60 of the EC Treaty (now Article 50 EC) — the               Administrator, for the Registrar, has given a judgment on
Court, composed of: P.J.G. Kapteyn, President of the Fourth                 21 September 1999, in which it has ruled:
and Sixth Chambers, acting for the President, J.-P. Puissochet
(Rapporteur) and P. Jann (Presidents of Chambers), C. Gul-
mann, J.L. Murray, D.A.O. Edward, H. Ragnemalm, L. Sevón                   Article 30 of the EC Treaty (now, after amendment, Article 28 EC)
and M. Wathelet, Judges; A. La Pergola, Advocate General;                   does not preclude the application of provisions such as Article II(3)
L. Hewlett, Administrator, for the Registrar, has given a                   of the Gesetz über internationale Patentübereinkommen, according to
judgment on 21 September 1999, in which it has ruled:                       which a patent granted by the European Patent Office with effect in
                                                                            a Member State which is drafted in a language other than the official
                                                                            language of that Member State is to be deemed void ab initio if the
                                                                            patent holder does not file with the patent office of the Member State
The Treaty provisions relating to freedom to provide services do not
                                                                            in question a translation of the patent specification in the official
preclude national legislation such as the Finnish legislation which
                                                                            language of that Member State within three months of the publication
grants to a single public body exclusive rights to operate slot
                                                                            in the European Patent Bulletin of the mention of the grant of the
machines, in view of the public interest objectives which justify it.
                                                                            patent.
(1) OJ No C 166 of 31.5.1997.
                                                                            (1) OJ No C 137 of 2.5.1998.