Germany: Arbitration & Dispute Resolution

Das OLG Düsseldorf hat entschieden, dass öffentliche Auftraggeber bei produktspezifischen Ausschreibungen konkret nachweisen müssen, warum eine produktneutrale Ausschreibung nicht möglich ist. Die Entscheidung betrifft eine Ausschreibung der Stadt Datteln, die ausschließlich Apple iPads zuließ, und stellt hohe Anforderungen an die Dokumentation von Mehrkosten und technischen Beeinträchtigungen. Auftraggeber müssen nun bei jeder Vergabe erneut prüfen und vergabere

Germany has enacted reforms establishing specialised international commercial court chambers that allow English-language proceedings and streamlined appeals directly to the Federal Court of Justice. This development positions German state courts as a competitive alternative to arbitration for cross-border commercial disputes, prompting parties to reassess their dispute resolution strategies in contracts with a German nexus.

This case examines the liability of an EU Authorized Representative under the Medical Device Regulation as an intermediary in patent infringement proceedings, even when they are not direct infringers. The court addresses critical procedural questions including deemed acceptance of jurisdiction, the consequences of non-attendance at oral hearings, and the discretion to refuse stays despite pending CJEU referrals.

The UPC Court of Appeal has issued its first comprehensive guidance on handling infringement claims based on non-UPC patent designations, establishing a structured framework for exercising extra-territorial jurisdiction. This landmark decision clarifies when the UPC will accept jurisdiction over foreign patent designations and under what conditions it will rule on infringement, with significant implications for patent holders and multinational defendants operating across European borders.

The Mannheim Local Division of the Unified Patent Court addressed a procedural application by Google LLC and Google Germany GmbH seeking to change the language of infringement proceedings from German to English under Rule 323 of the Rules of Procedure. The decision examines how a claimant's demonstrated capacity to litigate in English in comparable proceedings may outweigh traditional factors such as party size and domicile when determining language-of-proceedings applications under Article 49(5) UPCA.

The European Patent Office has released significant updates to its Case Law of the Boards of Appeal, incorporating landmark decisions that reshape how prior art is assessed, claims are interpreted, and appeal procedures are conducted. These changes reflect pivotal rulings from the Technical and Enlarged Boards of Appeal that practitioners should understand for effective EPO proceedings.

The Enlarged Board of Appeal will address fundamental questions about how patent claims should be interpreted using the description and drawings, and what this means for assessing whether amendments introduce added subject-matter. Three competing approaches have emerged in Board of Appeal decisions following G 1/24, each leading to different outcomes when determining if claim amendments extend beyond the original application.

The German Federal Court of Justice has established new boundaries for bundled cartel damages claims, requiring structured presentation and judicial feasibility while scrutinizing litigation funding agreements for conflicts of interest.

In an eagerly awaited decision, the UPC Court of Appeal has provided detailed guidance on the UPC’s extra-territorial reach - 11 months after the Mannheim Local Division’s landmark...