Juge de la mise en état du TJ de Paris - Châteauneuf-du-Pape et INAO c/ Royal Wine Corp et autres
Date de la décision
19-03-2025
N° de la décision
23/15258
Type de jurisprudence
Appellations protégées
Pays
France
Juridiction
Juge de la mise en état du tribunal judiciaire de Paris, 3e ch. 3e sect.
Parties
Châteauneuf-du-Pape et INAO c/ Royal Wine Corp et autres
La société Châteauneuf-du-Pape et Institut national de l’origine et de la qualité (INAO) étaient représentées par Caroline Casalonga, avocate au Barreau de Paris.
Traduction en cours
Very interesting decision on the question of prescription of a geographic indication infringement action :
⦁ Geographic indication actions are prescribed by 5 years from the date the plaintiff had knowledge of the infringing acts in the relevant territory (France and the EU),
⦁ Geographic indication infringing acts are not continuous torts.
The President of the Paris First Instance Court granted a preliminary decision in favor of the appellation of origin deciding that the action is not prescribed as the defendants did not provide evidence that Chateauneuf-du-Pape had knowledge of infringing acts on the French market.
The judge reminded that a cancellation action against a trademark infringing a GI cannot be prescribed, citing Reg (UE) n° 1308/2013 and Reg (UE) 2024/1143, citing ECJ Cognac decision (ECJ July 14, 2011 BNIC, C-4/10 and C-27/10, § 27 et 28), but that the 5 years statute of limitation of article 2224 of the French civil code applies to geographic indication infringement actions.
The judge stated that the defendants did not provide any evidence that Chateauneuf-du-Pape or INAO had knowledge of infringing acts on the French market before 2022. The judge reminded that a trademark application or registration does not constitute use on the market and that evidence of use for the Australian and US markets is not relevant.
