Industrial Property Law

An action for unfair competition is considered subsidiary, enabling it to be brought concurrently with an action for infringement, or on its own. In effect, it is open to those operators who, since they have no private rights over the creation , can rely on facts that are materially identical to those used to bring an infringement action , or those used in support of an infringement action dismiss …

Subsidiary character of unfair competition action

An action for unfair competition is considered subsidiary, enabling it to be brought concurrently with an action for infringement, or on its own. In effect, it is open to those operators who, since they have no private rights over the creation , can rely on facts that are materially identical to those used to bring an infringement action , or those used in support of an infringement action dismissed for failure to establish a private right .

An action for unfair competition may also be brought cumulatively with an action for infringement, provided that the cause of action lies in a fault arising from facts distinct from those giving rise to the infringement . Actions for infringement and actions for unfair competition, based on distinct acts, arise from different causes and do not have the same ends, so that the latter cannot be the accessory, consequence or complement of the former , nor serve as a substitute for it . Distinct acts of infringement may consist, in particular, in the distribution of slavish copies in stores in the immediate vicinity of those of the proprietor of the design , or in the pursuit of a range effect likely to induce a risk of confusion in the mind of the consumer as to the origin of the products . On the other hand, exploiting a slavish copy of the design , even at a price lower than that of the original , reproducing the creation in full or in part without the designer's authorization , displaying for sale and distributing counterfeit articles , or marketing the same range of products  do not in themselves constitute acts distinct from counterfeiting.

Cass. com, May 23, 2006, LawLex200600001366JBJ; CA Paris, 30 October 2014, LawLex201400001195JBJ; CA Rennes, 28 January 1998, LawLex200001186JBJ; CA Paris, 28 May 2014, LawLex201400002034JBJ; CA Paris, 15 January 1997, LawLex200001307J; Cass. com, 7 March 2018, LawLex201800000431JBJ, which clarifies that the cancellation of the applicant's design registration does not entail the rejection of its claims based on unfair competition.

Cass. com. 23 May 2006,LawLex200600001366JBJ, LawLex201400001236JBJ, which emphasizes that when the action is based solely on unfair competition, proof of facts distinct from infringement is not required.

CA Paris, 28 January 2004, LawLex202300009294JBJ; CA Paris, 7 April 2015, LawLex202300007896JBJ.

CA Paris, 19 January 1996, LawLex200200001396JBJ.

CA Bordeaux, 10 November 2021, LawLex202200000999JBJ.

Cass. com. 14 November 2018, LawLex201800001743JBJ, Cass. com. 20 September 2016, LawLex201600001542JBJ; Cass. com. 7 June 2016, LawLex201600001100JBJ; Cass. com. 4 February 2014, LawLex201400000235JBJ.

Cass. com. 28 June 2023, LawLex202300008705JBJ; Cass. com. 15 June, LawLex201000000756JBJ; CA Bordeaux 10 November 2021, LawLex202200000999JBJ; CA Lyon 4 May 2005, LawLex200700000974JBJ; CA Douai 7 September 2006, LawLex200600002586JBJ.

Cass. com. 6 September 2016, LawLex201600001413JBJ.

CA Douai, 7 September 2006, LawLex200600002586JBJ.

CA Paris, 19 January 1996, LawLex200200001396JBJ; CA Paris, 27 September 2006, LawLex200800000040JBJ; CA Paris, 22 June 2005, LawLex200600000509JBJ.

CA Paris, 16 January 2013, LawLex201300000058JBJ; CA Paris, 7 December 201, LawLex201100001966JBJ; CA Paris, 27 September 2006, LawLex200800000044JBJ.

Cass. com, 3 June 2003, LawLex200300002730JBJ.

Cass. com. 26 February 2008, LawLex200800000257JBJ; CA Paris 27 September 2006, LawLex200800000040JBJ; CA Paris 12 January 2005, LawLex202100003590JBJ; CA Paris 12 June 2002, LawLex200300001876JBJ; CA Paris 22 September 2000, LawLex200200000738JBJ.

Industrial Property Law

517. Subsidiary character of unfair competition action

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Les notions juridiques connexes

517. Subsidiary character of unfair competition action

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

Les décisions de justice citées dans ce paragraphe :

Les notions juridiques connexes

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au contenu exclusif Livv – juristes d’entreprise