Germany: Litigation, Mediation & Arbitration

Germany's highest civil court has ruled that an unlicensed sample from Kraftwerk's 1977 track "Metall auf Metall" used in a hip hop song qualifies as lawful pastiche under EU copyright law. This landmark decision, concluding a nearly 30-year legal dispute, establishes new parameters for when sampling can constitute creative engagement rather than mere copying, though it stops short of providing blanket protection for all unauthorized samples.

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.

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 Düsseldorf Local Division partially upheld a patent relating to multimedia content sharing in peer-to-peer configurations and found indirect infringement by Disney's streaming service. The decision addresses critical issues of claim construction, patent validity, and procedural aspects while applying established UPC case law on inventive step testing.

International Arbitration Comparative Guide for the jurisdiction of Germany, check out our comparative guides section to compare across multiple countries

Germany's class action landscape is distinctive in that potential claimants have a variety of legal options, each with their own characteristics.

On 18 November 2024, the German Federal Court of Justice (Bundesgerichtshof, BGH) issued a judgement that makes it easier to prove damages in the form of loss of control in connection with data protection incidents.

An application for public access to the register must be filed in the language of the proceedings.

Under Art. 74(2) UPCA, appeals against revocation decisions have automatic suspensive effect, preserving patent status erga omnes, unlike the general rule in Art. 74(1) UPCA

Filing a declaration of non-infringement before patent grant raises a question of admissibility, not of UPC competence, under Art. 32(1)(b) UPCA