Test
27 March 2013
European Private Law Monitoring Report n° 1
Keywords: Unfair Commercial Practices (UCP), Common European Sales Law (CESL), Online Dispute Resolution (ODR), Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), Investor Protection, Collective Redress, Standardisation of Services, Commitment Decisions, Settlements, Private Rights of Action, Telecommunication, Energy.
Table of Content
EUROPEAN COURT OF JUSTICE……………………………………………………………………. 3
Case-law in private law matters from January – March 2013…………………………. 3
EUROPEAN RESEARCH AGENCY…………………………………………………………………… 8
60 ERC projects funded to bring ‘blue sky’ research towards market (Proof of Concept) 8
Great Interest from ERC grantees in hosting early-career top US talent………………………… 8
EUROPEAN COMMISSION……………………………………………………………………………… 8
New proposals on Alternative and Online Dispute Resolution…………………………………………… 8
Stimulating European Judicial Training…………………………………………………………………………………………. 8
Commission aims to improve redress for consumers in cross-border claims……………. 8
Commission seeks input on improving redress for consumers in cross-border claims 8
Towards a more coherent enforcement of EU consumer rules………………………………………….. 8
Public Consultation on the European Small Claims Procedure……………………………………………. 8
Digital Agenda: Commission calls on Polish telecom regulator to base…………………………… 8
deregulation proposal on an up-to-date market assessment………………………………………………. 9
European Commission takes action to protect businesses against marketing scams. 9
EC Consumer Law Compendium………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 9
Call for applications regarding the setting up of the Commission expert group on a European insurance contract law 9
New proposals on Alternative and Online Dispute Resolution (ADR) and (ODR)……….. 9
Internal energy market: Lithuania called upon to comply with EU internal market rules 9
Speech: Dialogue structure à la Commission Marché intérieur et protection des consommateurs 9
February 2013: Flash Consumer Confidence Indicator…………………………………………………………. 9
Commission welcomes European Parliament Committee support for an optional Common European Sales Law 9
Preparation of the Energy Council, 22 February 2013…………………………………………………………. 10
72,000 EU consumers helped by European Consumer Centres in 2012 – Annual Report 10
Air passengers in Europe: equal rights, unequal access to dispute resolution………….. 10
Report: The European Online Marketplace………………………………………………………………………………. 10
European Small Claims Procedure Report………………………………………………………………………………… 10
Public Consultation on the implementation of European Reference Networks (ERN) 10
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT………………………………………………………………………….. 10
IMCO Draft Opinion on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on a Common European Sales Law 10
JURI Draft Report on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on a Common European Sales Law 10
JURI Amendments on improving access to justice: legal aid in cross-border civil and commercial disputes 11
Study: Common European Sales Law (February 2013)……………………………………………………….. 11
JURI: The proposal for a Common European Sales Law: work in progress………………… 11
Workshop on the Plurilateral Agreement on Services…………………………………………………………. 11
Study: The Plurilateral Agreement on Services: At the Staring Gate………………………………. 11
Services Directive: Still plenty of room for improvement………………………………………………….. 11
Faster and more efficient help for disappointed shoppers…………………………………………………. 11
National parliaments able to save time thanks to free EP tool for managing amendments 11
We cannot afford the luxury of having a fragmented market…………………………………………….. 11
Making travellers’ lives easier………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 12
New EU Rules to ensure rapid redress for disappointed shoppers………………………………… 12
IMCO Committee: Draft Opinion on improving access to justice: legal aid in cross-border civil and commercial disputes 2012/2101(IIINI) 12
REGI Committee: Motion for a Resolution on the Role of EU Cohesion Policy and its actors in implementing the new European Energy Policy 12
EP Resolution: Jurisdiction and the Recognition and Enforcement of Judgments in Civil and Commercial Matters 12
EP Resolution: Implementation of the Consumer Credit Directive……………………………….. 12
ALDE: EU Investment Protection Policy – Seminar………………………………………………………………. 12
Study: Common European Sales Law (January 2013)…………………………………………………………… 12
Study: Why is mediation not used more often as a means of Alternative Dispute Resolution? 13
Study: Current gaps and future perspectives in European Private International Law: Towards a Code on Private International law? 13
IMCO: Hearing on Services Directive…………………………………………………………………………………………… 13
NEWSWIRES………………………………………………………………………………………………. 13
EuroNews: EU to simply cross-border trade rules………………………………………………………………. 13
Financial Times: Competition lawsuits plan worries CBI………………………………………………….. 13
OTHERS……………………………………………………………………………………………………… 13
BEUC………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 13
EU updates law on air passengers’ rights…………………………………………………………………………………… 13
Doctors at a distance: EU healthcare gets technology prescription……………………………….. 14
EU Consumer Redress – Old myths and recent realities……………………………………………………… 14
Unfair Contract Terms in Passenger Contracts – Open Letter to IATA………………………… 14
Future Smart Energy Markets: Protecting and Empowering Consumers – BEUC position paper 14
BEUC Departments and Teams – Update…………………………………………………………………………………….. 14
National Energy Retail Markets – BEUC presentation………………………………………………………….. 14
EUROPEAN COURT OF JUSTICE
Case-law in private law matters from January – March 2013
Unfair terms in consumer contracts (Directive 93/13/EEC)
| Case-number | Parties | Subject-matter | |
| Judgment of the Court; 21.02.2013 | C-472/11 | Banif Plus Bank Zrt/Casaba Csipai, Viktória Csipai | Obligation of the national court which has found of its own motion that a contractual term is unfair to inform the parties to the dispute of that fact and to invite each of them to set out its views on that matter. |
| Judgment of the Court; 14.03.2013 | C‑415/11 | Mohamed Aziz/Caixa d’Estalvis de Catalunya, Tarragona i Manresa (Catalunyacaixa) | Compatibility of Spanish legislation, which does not allow for grounds of objection based on the unfairness of a clause in mortgage enforcement proceedings and also does not allow the court before which declaratory proceedings have been brought to grant interim relief, with Directive 93/13. |
| Judgment of the Court; 21.03.2013 | C-92/11 | RWE Vertrieb AG/Verbraucherzentrale Nordrhein-Westfalen e.V | Criteria to determine the unfairness of a standard contractual term by which a supply undertaking reserves the right to vary the charge for the supply of gas, which reproduces a rule of national law applicable to another category of contracts and are not subject to the national legislation concerned. |
Unfair commercial practices (Directive 2005/29/EC)
| Case-number | Parties | Subject-matter | |
| Judgment of the Court; 17. 01.2013 | C‑206/11 | Georg Köck/Schutzverband gegen unlauteren Wettbewerb |
Preclusion of a national court from ordering the cessation of a commercial practice not covered by Annex I of Directive 2005/29/EC on the sole ground that the practice has not been the subject of prior authorisation by the competent administrative authority, without itself carrying out an assessment of the unfairness of the practice in question against the criteria set out in Articles 5 to 9 of that directive.
Sale of consumer goods and associated guarantees (Directive 1999/44/EC)
| Case-number | Parties | Subject-matter | |
| Opinion of AG Kokott; 28.02.2013 | C-32/12 | Soledad Duarte Hueros/Autociba SA und Automóviles Citroën España SA | Ex officio price reduction by the national court in case the consumer seeks only rescission of the contract, which is denied because the lack of conformity is only minor. |
Anti-Discrimination Law
| Case-number | Parties | Subject-matter | |
| Judgment of the Court; 31.01.2013 | C-394/11 | Valeri Hariev Belov/CHEZ Elektro Balgaria AD and Others. | Inadmissibility of questions referred regarding Directive 2000/43/EC as the national equality body cannot be considered as a ‘court or tribunal’ within the meaning of Article 267 TFEU. |
| Opinion of AG Kokott; 07. 02.2013 | C‑476/11 | HK Danmark, handelnd für Glennie Kristensen/Experian A/S | Compatibility of age-graded pension contributions with Article 6 (2) of Directive 2000/78. |
| Opinion of AG Kokott; 07.02.2013 | C‑546/11 | Dansk Jurist- og Økonomforbund, handelnd für Erik Toftgaard/Indenrigs- og Sundhedsministeriet | Scope of application of the exception under Art. 6 (2) of Directive 2000/78 |
| Judgment of the Court; 28. 02.2013 | C‑427/11 | Margaret Kenny et al/ Minister for Justice et al | Conditions of the employer’s justification of the prima facie case of indirect gender discrimination in pay in the light of Article 141 EC and Directive 75/117 |
Air passenger rights (Regulation No 261/2004)
| Case-number | Parties | Subject-matter | |
| Judgment of the Court; 31.01.2013 | C-12/11 | Denise McDonagh/Ryanair Ltd | Circumstances such as the closure of part of European airspace as a result of the eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano constitute ‘extraordinary circumstances’ within the meaning of that regulation which do not release air carriers from their obligation laid down in Articles 5(1)(b) and 9 of the Regulation No 261/2004 to provide care. |
| Judgment of the Court; 26.02.2013 | C-11/11 | Air France SA/ Heinz-Gerke Folkerts, Luz-Tereza Folkerts | Compensation is payable, on the basis of Art. 7 of the Regulation No 261/2004, to a passenger on directly connecting flights who has been delayed at departure for a period below the limits specified in Article 6, but has arrived at the final destination at least three hours later than the scheduled arrival time, given that the compensation in question is not conditional upon there having been a delay at departure. |
Railway passenger rights (Regulation No 1371/2007)
| Case-number | Parties | Subject-matter | |
| Opinion of AG Jääskinen; 14.03.2013 | C‑509/11 | ÖBB-Personenverkehr AG | Power of a national body charged with enforcement of Regulation No 1371/2007 to order railway undertakings to alter compensation terms that do not comply with Regulation No 1371/2007; Obligation of the railway undertaking to pay compensation of the ticket price in cases of force majeure. |
Insurance law and consumer protection
| Case-number | Parties | Subject-matter | |
| Judgment of the Court of Justice; 7.03.2013 | C‑577/11 | DKV Belgium SA/Association belge des consommateurs Test-Achats ASBL | Compatibility of a system of premium rate increases, under which undertakings are authorized to increase premiums only on the basis of the consumer price index and the medical index, with Articles 29 and 39(2) and (3) of Directive 92/49 and 8(3) of Directive 73/239 as well as Articles 49 TFEU and 56 TFEU. |
Liability for breach of competition law provisions
| Case-number | Parties | Subject-matter | |
| Opinion of AG Jääskinen; 7.02.2013 | C‑536/11 | Bundeswettbewerbsbehörde/Donau Chemie AG et al | Access by an association representing third parties potentially affected by a cartel to completed public law competition proceedings to support civil action for damages. |
Legal protection
| Case-number | Parties | Subject-matter | |
| Opinion of AG Bot; 06.03.2013 | C‑144/12 | Goldbet Sportwetten GmbH/Massimo Sperindeo | Relationship between the lodging of a statement of opposition to a European order for payment regarding Regulation 1896/2006 and Article 24 of Council Regulation No 44/2001 which confers jurisdiction on a court before which a defendant enters an appearance. |
Services Directive 2006/123/EC
| Case-number | Parties | Subject-matter | |
| AG opinion Cruz Villalón; 14.03.2013 | C‑57/12 | Fédération des maisons de repos privées de Belgique (Femarbel)/Commission communautaire commune | Ratione materiae of healthcare services under Art. 2 Abs. 2 lit. f Directive 2006/123/EC. |
EUROPEAN RESEARCH AGENCY
60 ERC projects funded to bring ‘blue sky’ research towards market (Proof of Concept)
http://erc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/press_release/files/erc_pr_poc_2012_second_results.pdf
Great Interest from ERC grantees in hosting early-career top US talent
http://erc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/press_release/files/highlight_NSF-ERC_initiative_2013.pdf
EUROPEAN COMMISSION
New proposals on Alternative and Online Dispute Resolution
http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/redress_cons/adr_policy_work_en.htm
Stimulating European Judicial Training
http://ec.europa.eu/justice/events/judicial-training-2013/index_en.htm
Commission aims to improve redress for consumers in cross-border claims
http://ec.europa.eu/justice/newsroom/civil/news/130319_en.htm
Commission seeks input on improving redress for consumers in cross-border claims
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-13-240_en.htm
Towards a more coherent enforcement of EU consumer rules
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_SPEECH-13-237_en.htm
Public Consultation on the European Small Claims Procedure
http://ec.europa.eu/justice/newsroom/civil/opinion/130318_en.htm
Digital Agenda: Commission calls on Polish telecom regulator to base
deregulation proposal on an up-to-date market assessment
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-13-100_en.htm
Digital Agenda – European Commission questions Italian telecoms proposal to regulate rates for fixed termination services
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-13-98_en.htm
European Commission takes action to protect businesses against marketing scams
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-12-1264_en.htm
EC Consumer Law Compendium
http://www.eu-consumer-law.org/
Call for applications regarding the setting up of the Commission expert group on a European insurance contract law
http://ec.europa.eu/justice/newsroom/contracts/2013-insurance-contract-law_en.htm
New proposals on Alternative and Online Dispute Resolution (ADR) and (ODR)
http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/redress_cons/adr_policy_work_en.htm
Internal energy market: Lithuania called upon to comply with EU internal market rules
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-13-122_en.htm
Speech: Dialogue structure à la Commission Marché intérieur et protection des consommateurs
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_SPEECH-13-149_fr.htm
February 2013: Flash Consumer Confidence Indicator
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-13-146_en.htm
Commission welcomes European Parliament Committee support for an optional Common European Sales Law
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-13-121_en.htm
Preparation of the Energy Council, 22 February 2013
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-13-127_en.htm
72,000 EU consumers helped by European Consumer Centres in 2012 – Annual Report
http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/ecc/docs/report_ecc-net_2012_en.pdf
Air passengers in Europe: equal rights, unequal access to dispute resolution
http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/ecc/docs/adr_report_06022013_en.pdf
Report: The European Online Marketplace
http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/ecc/docs/e-commerce-report-2012_en.pdf
European Small Claims Procedure Report
http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/ecc/docs/small_claims_210992012_en.pdf
Public Consultation on the implementation of European Reference Networks (ERN)
http://ec.europa.eu/health/cross_border_care/consultations/cons_implementation_ern%5Fen.htm
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
IMCO Draft Opinion on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on a Common European Sales Law
JURI Draft Report on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on a Common European Sales Law
JURI Amendments on improving access to justice: legal aid in cross-border civil and commercial disputes
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/committees/en/studiesdownload.html?languageDocument=EN&file=85474
Study: Common European Sales Law (February 2013)
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/committees/en/studiesdownload.html?languageDocument=EN&file=85530
JURI: The proposal for a Common European Sales Law: work in progress
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/committees/en/juri/events.html#menuzone
Workshop on the Plurilateral Agreement on Services
Study: The Plurilateral Agreement on Services: At the Staring Gate
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/committees/en/studiesdownload.html?languageDocument=EN&file=85474
Services Directive: Still plenty of room for improvement
Faster and more efficient help for disappointed shoppers
National parliaments able to save time thanks to free EP tool for managing amendments
We cannot afford the luxury of having a fragmented market
Making travellers’ lives easier
New EU Rules to ensure rapid redress for disappointed shoppers
IMCO Committee: Draft Opinion on improving access to justice: legal aid in cross-border civil and commercial disputes 2012/2101(IIINI)
REGI Committee: Motion for a Resolution on the Role of EU Cohesion Policy and its actors in implementing the new European Energy Policy
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/plenary/en/reports.html?action=2&tabActif=tabLast#sidesForm
EP Resolution: Jurisdiction and the Recognition and Enforcement of Judgments in Civil and Commercial Matters
EP Resolution: Implementation of the Consumer Credit Directive
ALDE: EU Investment Protection Policy – Seminar
https://aldeadle.box.com/s/vpj2ydr1kzhe4wns1sjx
Study: Common European Sales Law (January 2013)
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/committees/en/studiesdownload.html?languageDocument=EN&file=83710
Study: Why is mediation not used more often as a means of Alternative Dispute Resolution?
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/committees/en/studiesdownload.html?languageDocument=XL&file=83482
Study: Current gaps and future perspectives in European Private International Law: Towards a Code on Private International law?
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/committees/en/studiesdownload.html?languageDocument=XL&file=83497
IMCO: Hearing on Services Directive
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/committees/en/imco/home.html
- •. Powerpoint presentations
- •. Draft programme
- •. Anna Maria CORAZZA BILDT (SV-EPP)
- •. Procedure file
NEWSWIRES
EuroNews: EU to simply cross-border trade rules
http://www.euronews.com/2012/09/17/eu-to-simplify-cross-border-trade-rules
Financial Times: Competition lawsuits plan worries CBI
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/46f15418-697c-11e2-9246-00144feab49a.html#axzz2LcvTdGdd
OTHERS
BEUC
EU updates law on air passengers’ rights
Doctors at a distance: EU healthcare gets technology prescription
EU Consumer Redress – Old myths and recent realities
Unfair Contract Terms in Passenger Contracts – Open Letter to IATA
Future Smart Energy Markets: Protecting and Empowering Consumers – BEUC position paper
BEUC Departments and Teams – Update
National Energy Retail Markets – BEUC presentation