CELEX: C2006/131/43
Language: en
Date: 2006-06-03 00:00:00
Title: Case C-59/05: Judgment of the Court (First Chamber) of  23 February 2006  (reference for a preliminary ruling from the Bundesgerichtshof) — Siemens AG v Gesellschaft für Visualisierung und Prozeßautomatisierung mbH (VIPA) (Approximation of laws — Directives 84/450/EEC and 97/55/EC — Comparative advertising — Taking unfair advantage of the reputation of a distinguishing mark of a competitor)

3.6.2006   
            
            
               EN
            
            
               Official Journal of the European Union
            
            
               C 131/24
            
         Judgment of the Court (First Chamber) of 23 February 2006 (reference for a preliminary ruling from the Bundesgerichtshof) — Siemens AG v Gesellschaft für Visualisierung und Prozeßautomatisierung mbH (VIPA)
   (Case C-59/05) (1)
   
   (Approximation of laws - Directives 84/450/EEC and 97/55/EC - Comparative advertising - Taking unfair advantage of the reputation of a distinguishing mark of a competitor)
   (2006/C 131/43)
   Language of the case: German
   Referring court
   Bundesgerichtshof (Germany)
   Parties to the main proceedings
   
      Applicant: Siemens AG
   
      Defendant: VIPA Gesellschaft für Visualisierung und Prozeßautomatisierung mbH
   
      Re:
   Reference for a preliminary ruling — Bundesgerichtshof — Interpretation of Article 3a(1)(g) of Council Directive 84/450/EEC of 10 September 1984 relating to the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States concerning misleading advertising (OJ 1984 L 250, p. 17), as inserted by Directive 97/55/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 October 1997 (OJ 1997 L 290, p. 18) — Comparative advertising — Products sold under reference to what are essentially the product order numbers of a competitor
   Operative part of the judgment
   Article 3a(1)(g) of Council Directive 84/450/EEC of 10 September 1984 concerning misleading and comparative advertising, as amended by Directive 97/55/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 October 1997, must be interpreted as meaning that, in circumstances such as those in the main proceedings, by using in its catalogues the core element of a manufacturer's distinguishing mark which is known in specialist circles, a competing supplier does not take unfair advantage of the reputation of that distinguishing mark.
   
      (1)  OJ C 82, 2.4.2005.