CELEX: C2001/028/03
Language: en
Date: 2001-01-27 00:00:00
Title: Judgment of the Court of 7 November 2000 in Case C-312/98 (reference for a preliminary ruling from the Bundesgerichtshof): Schutzverband gegen Unwesen in der Wirtschaft eV v Warsteiner Brauerei Haus Cramer GmbH & Co. KG (Protection of geographical indications and designations of origin — Regulation (EEC) No 2081/92 — Scope — Directive 79/112/EEC — National rules prohibiting the potentially misleading use of "simple" geographical indications of source)

C 28/2                  EN                      Official Journal of the European Communities                                         27.1.2001
P. Steinmetz, assisted by J. Welter) v European Parliament                 (Federal Court of Justice), Germany, for a preliminary ruling in
(Agents: originally represented by C. Pennera, and A. Baas, and            the proceedings pending before that court between Schutzver-
subsequently by C. Pennera and J. Sant’Anna) and Council of                band gegen Unwesen in der Wirtschaft eV and Warsteiner
the European Union (Agents: M.C. Giorgi and F. Anton),                     Brauerei Haus Cramer GmbH & Co. KG — on the interpret-
supported by Kingdom of Spain, (Agent: M. López-Monı́s                    ation of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2081/92 of 14 July
Gallego, Abogado del Estado) by Kingdom of the Netherlands                 1992 on the protection of geographical indications and
(Agent: M.A. Fierstra) by United Kingdom of Great Britain and              designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs
Northern Ireland (Agents: J.E. Collins and D. Anderson, and by             (OJ 1992 L 208, p. 1) — the Court, composed of: G.C. Rodrı́-
Commission of the European Communities (Agents: A. Caeiro                  guez Iglesias, President, C. Gulmann, A. La Pergola, M. Wathelet
and B. Mongin, — application for a annulment of Directive                  and V. Skouris, Presidents of Chambers, D.A.O. Edward,
98/5/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of                   J.-R Puissochet, P. Jann, L. Sevón, R. Schintgen (Rapporteur)
16 February 1998 to facilitate practice of the profession of               and F. Macken, Judges; F.G. Jacobs, Advocate General;
lawyer on a permanent basis in a Member State other than                   H.A. Rühl, Principal Administrator, for the Registrar, has given
that in which the qualification was obtained (OJ 1998 L 77,                a judgment on 7 November 2000, in which it has ruled:
p. 36) — the Court, composed of: G.C. Rodrı́guez Iglesias,
President, C. Gulmann (Rapporteur), A. La Pergola, M. Wathelet
and V. Skouris (Presidents of Chambers), D.A.O. Edward, J.-P.              Council Regulation (EEC) No 2081/92 of 14 July 1992 on the
Puissochet, P. Jann, L. Sevón, R. Schintgen and F. Macken,                protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for
Judges; D. Ruiz-Jarabo Colomer, Advocate General; H. von                   agricultural products and foodstuffs does not preclude the application
Holstein, Deputy Registrar, for the Registrar, has given a                 of national legislation which prohibits the potentially misleading use
judgment on 7 November 2000, in which it:                                  of a geographical indication of source in the case of which there is no
                                                                           link between the characteristics of the product and its geographical
1.    Dismisses the application;                                           provenance.
2.    Orders the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg to pay the costs;
                                                                           (1) OJ C 327 of 24.10.1998.
3.    Orders the Kingdom of Spain, the Kingdom of the Netherlands,
      the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and
      the Commission of the European Communities to bear their
      own costs.
(1) OJ C 209 of 4.7.1998.
                                                                                             JUDGMENT OF THE COURT
                 JUDGMENT OF THE COURT                                                            of 7 November 2000
                       of 7 November 2000
                                                                           in Case C-371/98 (reference for a preliminary ruling from
in Case C-312/98 (reference for a preliminary ruling from                  the Queen’s Bench Division (Divisional Court) of the
the Bundesgerichtshof): Schutzverband gegen Unwesen                        High Court of Justice of England and Wales): The Queen
in der Wirtschaft eV v Warsteiner Brauerei Haus Cramer                     v Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and
                        GmbH & Co. KG (1)                                                            the Regions (1)
(Protection of geographical indications and designations of                (Directive 92/43/EEC — Conservation of natural habitats
origin — Regulation (EEC) No 2081/92 — Scope —                             and of wild fauna and flora — Definition of the boundaries
Directive 79/112/EEC — National rules prohibiting the                      of sites eligible for designation as special areas of conser-
potentially misleading use of ‘simple’ geographical indi-                  vation — Discretion of the Member States — Economic and
                         cations of source)                                            social considerations — Severn Estuary)
                          (2001/C 28/03)
                                                                                                     (2001/C 28/04)
                   (Language of the case: German)
                                                                                               (Language of the case: English)
(Provisional translation; the definitive translation will be published
                   in the European Court Reports)
                                                                           In Case C-371/98: reference to the Court under Article 177 of
In Case C-312/98: reference to the Court under Article 177 of              the EC Treaty (now Article 234 EC) from the Queen’s Bench
the EC Treaty (now Article 234 EC) from the Bundesgerichtshof              Division (Divisional Court) of the High Court of Justice of