PowerPoint-Prentation

							VIEHBÖCK BREITER SCHENK & NAU               Litigation Strategies
          R E C H T S A N W Ä L T E




          Litigation Strategies

 What happens when there is no choice of forum


                         Gustav Breiter

               IDI-conference Torino 2008
  VIEHBÖCK BREITER SCHENK & NAU                          Litigation Strategies
              R E C H T S A N W Ä L T E




- Jurisdiction clause:          exclusive jurisdiction (art 23 EC-
                                regulation 44/2001)

- If there is no clause: art 5 regulation 44/2001 applies

Party which supplies the service: place of jurisdiction

Who supplies the service in the legal sense?
   VIEHBÖCK BREITER SCHENK & NAU                            Litigation Strategies
               R E C H T S A N W Ä L T E




Agency contracts:

The place of the agent´s service is relevant

Sales activity is the supplied service

practical advantages,               supporting   also   out-of-court
settlements
   VIEHBÖCK BREITER SCHENK & NAU                 Litigation Strategies
               R E C H T S A N W Ä L T E




Distribution contracts (I):

Distributor has to promote business, build up the market,
maintain after-sale-service etc.

Supplier delivers the goods

In my opinion: place of the distributor´s activity is
relevant, he is the party rendering the service
   VIEHBÖCK BREITER SCHENK & NAU                    Litigation Strategies
               R E C H T S A N W Ä L T E




Distribution contracts (II):

Relevant jurisdiction:

Austrian Supreme Court (February 17, 2005 – 6 Ob
148/04i): broker may claim before Austrian courts under
art 5

No jurisdiction of the Supreme Court on distribution until
now

Germany: Oberlandesgericht Köln (January 12, 2007 – 19
U 11/07): art 5 applies for agents and distributors

Other countries: unclear situation acc. to IDI-reports
   VIEHBÖCK BREITER SCHENK & NAU                  Litigation Strategies
               R E C H T S A N W Ä L T E




Franchise:

Franchisee does the sales activity, support by           the
franchisor should not be “service” in the legal sense

No Austrian jurisdiction

German literature referring to art 50 EC: wide definition:
“service rendered by undertakings against payment”
    VIEHBÖCK BREITER SCHENK & NAU                                Litigation Strategies
                      R E C H T S A N W Ä L T E




 Thank you very much for your attention!




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