Industrial Property Law

In principle, infringement proceedings belong to the patent owner (Article L. 615-2, para. 1, IP Code). However, licensees can bring infringement actions in several ways. He or she can join the patent owner's action by filing as co-plaintiff in the document initiating proceedings . They may also intervene in infringement proceedings brought by the proprietor of the patent, in order to obtain compe …

Right to bring infringement proceedings

In principle, infringement proceedings belong to the patent owner (Article L. 615-2, para. 1, IP Code). However, licensees can bring infringement actions in several ways. He or she can join the patent owner's action by filing as co-plaintiff in the document initiating proceedings . They may also intervene in infringement proceedings brought by the proprietor of the patent, in order to obtain compensation for their own harm (Article L. 615-2, paragraph 6, IP Code). Prior to Law No 2008-776 of 4 August 2008, such intervention was only possible from the date of publication of the license in the national patent register, so as to assert rights enforceable against third parties from that date . The publicity condition is no longer required (Article L. 613-9, para. 3, IP Code). Similarly, the patent proprietor is entitled to intervene in infringement proceedings brought by the licensee, whatever the grounds (Article L. 615-2, paragraph 5, IP Code).

In addition, unless otherwise stipulated in the license agreement, the beneficiary of a right of exclusive exploitation may bring an infringement action to obtain compensation for his or her own harm if, after formal notice, the patent owner does not do so (Art. L. 615-2, para. 2, IP Code). He must, under penalty of inadmissibility, inform the patent owner in advance and provide proof of registration of the license agreement in the national patent register  or in the European patent register if the license concerns a European patent application or a European patent (Article L. 614-11 IP Code) . Failure to register may be rectified at any time during the proceedings, until the court has given its ruling (Article 126 of the Code of Civil Procedure). Once this situation has been regularized, the exclusive licensee's action is admissible for subsequent acts. Lastly, Ordinance No 2018-341 of 9 May 2018 on the European patent with unitary effect and the unified patent jurisdiction expressly provides that non-exclusive licensees may bring infringement actions if the license agreement expressly authorizes them to do so, provided that, subject to inadmissibility, they first inform the patent owner (Art. 11) .

Infringement proceedings are also open to the proprietor of a compulsory or statutory license (licence d'office) if, after formal notice, the patentee fails to exercise it (Article L. 615-2, para. 4, IP Code).

Cass. com. 13 July 2010, LawLex201000000859JBJ, issued in relation to trademarks but also applicable to patents; Cass. com. 11 March 2008, LawLex202200002786JBJ.

Cass. com. 26 April 1994, LawLex202200010931JBJ.

Cass. com. 11 January 2000, LawLex202200002776JBJ.

Cass. com. 3 April 2012, LawLex202200003529JBJ.

This provision, codified in Article L. 615-2, paragraph 3, of the Intellectual Property Code, will be applicable from the entry into force of the agreement on a unified patent jurisdiction of 19 February 2013.

Industrial Property Law

334. Right to bring infringement proceedings

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Les décisions de justice citées dans ce paragraphe :

Les notions juridiques connexes

334. Right to bring infringement proceedings

Demandez un accès gratuit au contenu exclusif Livv – juristes d’entreprise

Les décisions de justice citées dans ce paragraphe :

Les notions juridiques connexes

Demandez un accès gratuit
au contenu exclusif Livv – juristes d’entreprise