Paris 1st Instance Court - ERNIE BALL - VIGIER v/ CENTRALE OCCASION DE LA MUSIQUE
Decision date
2009-12-04
Decision No.
RG 08/11063
Nature
Trademarks, Competition law
Country
France
Jurisdiction
Paris First Instance Court
Parties
ERNIE BALL - VIGIER v/ CENTRALE OCCASION DE LA MUSIQUE
The companies ERNIE BALL and VIGIER were represented by Arnaud Casalonga, Attorney at Law.
In its decision dated December 4, 2009, the Court of First Instance considered that the company CENTRALE OCCASION DE LA MUSIQUE directly imported from the USA and sold in France authentic goods bearing ERNIE BALL INC.’s trademark.
The Court rejected the argument of the exhaustion of rights with respect to the goods imported into the European Economic Community and held the company CENTRALE OCCASION DE LA MUSIQUE liable for the infringement of ERNIE BALL INC.’s trademark rights.
Furthermore, the company VIGIER being the exclusive distributor of ERNIE BALL INC.’s products in France, the Court also considered that the importation of the goods by the company CENTRALE OCCASION DE LA MUSIQUE constituted an act of unfair competition.
