CA Angers, ch. com., 16 septembre 2008, n° 07/00895

CA Orléans, 16 septembre 2008, n°  07/00096

Cass. soc., 16 septembre 2008, n° 07-20.444

Cass. com., 16 septembre 2008, n° 07-11.012

Cass. com., 16 septembre 2008, n° 07-11.803

EC, September 15, 2008, No M.5272

EC, September 15, 2008, No M.5183

Le fabricant d'un sèche-linge est tenu de réparer le dommage causé par un incendie dont l'origine est intrinsèque à l'appareil.

CA Orléans, 15 septembre 2008, n° 07-01710

CA Agen, ch. com., 15 septembre 2008, n° 08-00539

CA Orléans, 15 septembre 2008, n° 07/01684

CA Versailles, 4e ch., 15 septembre 2008, n° 06/07279

Une sonde de stimulation auriculaire ne présente pas la sécurité à laquelle un patient peut légitimement s'attendre lorsqu'il existe un risque potentiel de rupture de l'armature métallique que constitue le fil de rétention.

Le fabricant d'une sonde de stimulation auriculaire défectueuse ne peut s'exonérer de sa responsabilité en invoquant un risque de développement, dès lors que l'article 7 e) de la directive 85-374 prévoyant ce cas d'exonération n'avait pas encore été transposé en droit interne lors de la mise en circulation du produit.

CA Paris, 1re ch. B, 12 septembre 2008, n° 07-03468

CA Paris, 4e ch. B, 12 septembre 2008, n° 07/00860

CA Paris, 14e ch. B, 12 septembre 2008, n° 08/04173

Cass. 2e civ., 11 septembre 2008, n° 07-18.080

CA Paris, 16e ch. B, 11 septembre 2008, n° 07/11392

Cass. 2e civ., 11 septembre 2008, n° 07-20.857

La publicité, qui se limite à une comparaison objective des prix auxquels des produits identiques sont vendus, dans les mêmes conditions, par des commerçants différents, n'est pas illicite lorsque le concurrent visé ne démontre pas la notoriété dont il invoque le détournement.

Les articles L. 122-1 et L. 122-2 (anciens art. L. 121-8 et L. 121-9) du Code de la consommation visent à protéger les consommateurs et ne trouvent pas à s'appliquer entre professionnels.

Le tableau comparant les prix pratiqués par une entreprise et son concurrent sur quatres produits de base entrant dans la fabrication des pizzas et la synthèse exprimée en pourcentage sur les différences de prix ne contreviennent pas aux dispositions des articles L. 122-1 et L. 122-2 (anciens art. L. 121-8 et L. 121-9) du Code de la consommation.

CA Douai, 2e ch. sect. 2, 11 septembre 2008, n° 07-04318

La résiliation d'un contrat de location-gérance ne peut être motivée par le refus du locataitre-gérant d'accepter une augmentation de 25 % du montant de la redevance.

CA Paris, 16e ch. B, 11 septembre 2008, n° 07-16974

Tax legislation concerning the assessment of inheritance and transfer duties payable in respect of an immovable property which makes provision for the deductibility of debts secured on such property where the person was residing on the national territory at the time of death, is contrary to Article 63 TFEU.

CJEC, 3rd chamber, September 11, 2008, No C-11/07

The fiscal rules of a Member State relating to the calculation of the amount of tax due in case of inheritance of an immovable property which, without modifying the taxable value of the property left, makes a distinction leading to more onerous taxation on the estate of a non-resident, restricts the free movement of capital.

A situation in which a person resident in a Member State at the time of death leaves to persons resident in the same State an immovable property situated in another Member State where it is subject to a transfer duty assessment, is certainly not a purely internal situation.

CJEC, 3rd chamber, September 11, 2008, No C-43/07

The provision of a Member State which, for the external provision of supplies to national hospitals in medicinal products, requires a degree of proximity between pharmacies, satisfies the objective of public health insofar as it only transposes requirements analogous to those of the system of internal provision of supplies, i.e. the presence of a contracting pharmacist generally and quickly available in situ.

Legislation by a Member State which reserves the external provisions of supplies of national hospitals to pharmacies situated in the vicinity of the hospital comes under Article 34 TFEU, insofar as that limitation of the selling arrangements does not affect in the same way medicines marketed by pharmacies established in the national territory and those marketed by pharmacies situated in another Member State.

CJEC, 4th chamber, September 11, 2008, No C-141/07

The interest in bringing proceedings by the competitor of a recipient of State aid against a decision declaring the aid compatible without a formal investigation procedure being initiated, does not require evidence that the applicant's market position would be substantially affected where its action seeks only to protect its procedural rights.

CJEC, 1st chamber, September 11, 2008, No C-75/05 P

The tax measure adopted in a part of the national territory by an infra-State body in respect of all undertakings under its jurisdiction is only of a general nature if that body is sufficiently autonomous, i.e. that it plays a fundamental role in defining the political and economic environment in which the undertakings operate and has institutional, procedural and economic autonomy. 

The existence of financial transfers between the State and an in infra-State body cannot, in itself, suffice to demonstrate that that body does not assume the financial consequences of the tax measures which it has adopted and, accordingly, that it does not enjoy financial autonomy.

Neither the existence of a conciliation procedure not the obligation to respect the limits of the areas of competence accorded by the  State can call into question the procedural autonomy of an infra-State body where it is for that body to adopt the final decision.

CJEC, 3rd chamber, September 11, 2008, No C-428/06

La rupture du contrat d'agence est imputable au mandant qui ne verse pas à l'agent de commissions sur des affaires apportées par ce dernier, sous le prétexte fallacieux qu'elles excèderaient son champ de compétence.

CA Versailles, 3e ch., 11 septembre 2008, n° 07-04954

It is not for the Court of Justice, when ruling in the context of an appeal, to substitute, on grounds of fairness, its own assessment for that of the General Court exercising its unlimited jurisdiction.

The fact that the Commission may have penalized certain types of infringement in the past with fines of a particular level cannot prevent it from raising that level within the limits indicated in Regulation No 1/2003 if that is necessary to ensure the effectiveness of EU competition policy.

CJEC, 1st chamber, September 11, 2008, No C-468/07 P

The exclusive supply agreement of a service-station for petroleum products that makes it possible for the supplier, by indirect or concealed means, such as the fixing of the margin of the operator, threats, intimidations, warnings, penalties or incentives, to fix the retail price, cannot benefit from a block exemption. 

Insofar as national law allows it, an exclusive supply agreement automatically void due to the existence of an imposed price clause may become valid following a unilateral amendment of that clause by the supplier which has the effect of bringing that clause into line with Article 101 TFEU.

Where clauses incompatible with Article 101(1) TFEU are severable from the contract itself, the consequences of the automatic nullity, in respect of all the other parts of the contract are not a matter for EU Law.

In the case of a genuine agency relationship, only the exclusivity and non-competition clauses concerning the relationship between the agent and the principal as independent economic operators are capable of falling under Article 101 TFEU and not the obligations concerning the sale of goods to third parties on behalf of the principal.

A service-station operator is presumed to bear the risks linked to specific investments required to negotiate or conclude contracts with third parties, where that operator makes investments in premises or equipment, such as a fuel tank, or in advertising campaigns.

A service-station operator is presumed to bear the risks linked to the sale of goods only when he takes possession of the goods, when he assumes directly or indirectly the costs linked to the distribution of the goods, particularly the transport costs, when he maintains stocks at his own expense, when he assumes responsibility for any damage, such as loss or deterioration, and for damage caused by the goods sold to third parties, or when he bears the financial risk linked to the goods.

An exclusive supply contract which is automatically void due to the presence of a resale price maintenance clause may become valid following a unilateral amendment of that clause by the supplier which has the effect of bringing that clause into line with Article 101 TFEU provided that the applicable national law permits it. 

CJEC, 3rd chamber, September 11, 2008, No C-279/06

Il n'appartient pas à la Cour de justice, lorsqu'elle se prononce dans le cadre d'un pourvoi, de substituer, pour des motifs d'équité, son appréciation du montant des amendes à celle du Tribunal statuant dans l'exercice de sa pleine juridiction.

Le fait que la Commission ait pu infliger, par le passé, des amendes d'un certain niveau pour certains types d'infractions, ne la prive pas de la possibilité d'élever ce niveau dans les limites indiquées au règlement 1-2003, si cela est nécessaire pour assurer l'efficacité de la politique européenne de la concurrence.

CJCE, 1re ch., 11 septembre 2008, n° C-468/07 P

Une clause de non-concurrence qui tend non seulement à protéger le savoir-faire du franchiseur, mais aussi à lui permettre de reconstituer son réseau local, présente un caractère disproportionné, qui doit être compensé, à peine de nullité, par la stipulation d'une contrepartie pécuniaire.

Le franchiseur qui, à l'expiration du contrat, exploite, sans bourse délier, le fichier clientèle du franchisé, alors qu'il n'en a pas la propriété, commet un acte de concurrence déloyale.

Le non-renouvellement d'un contrat de franchise arrivé à son terme, après l'expiration du préavis contractuel, ne saurait engager la responsabilité du franchiseur, quelle que soit la valeur des motifs avancés par ce dernier pour justifier sa décision.

Décisions de justice rendues en 2008 - Page 24